


Brought Together

by StarlitSky



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 1987)
Genre: Babies, Best Friends, Drama & Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, First Love, Fluff, Friendship, Hybrids, Mutation, Old Friends, Pregnancy, Self-Acceptance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-30 00:58:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 135,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3917254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlitSky/pseuds/StarlitSky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'87 cartoon. Takes place post series, so that means Shredder, Krang, and Lord Dregg are defeated and gone, and the guys are growing up and getting on with their lives. This is something I wrote way back in the very early 2000s, dug out from the archives, dusted off, and polished up for your enjoyment. Contains both CANONxCANON and CANONxOC couples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Looks Aren't Everything

**Author's Note:**

> This story is old, and even with the heavy editing it's obvious from the thin plot and how the different perspectives crop up when needed that I was making it up as I went along. Regardless, I hope you enjoy.

Elizabeth Cassidy sighed happily as she pulled herself out of the water; today had been a wonderful day. She had gotten all of her paperwork organized, she had written a full report about the new orca the aquarium had just acquired, and she had spent hours training with Minnie, her favorite bottlenose dolphin. It had been a truly marvelous, productive day—made all the better because the aquarium she worked at was closed today. No customers to interrupt her, no employees to watch her and whisper behind her back. If only they knew that she heard every rude, unkind word they ever said about her. She heard everything, whether she wanted to or not.

"I have to go home now, Minnie," she said, her eyes sad as she knelt beside the training tank. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

Minnie chattered a response; Elizabeth planted a kiss on her smooth nose and stood. She headed to the locker room, where she peeled off her wet swimsuit and turned on the shower. She was too shy to do more than just rinse off before quickly getting dressed if her fellow trainers were around, but tonight she was alone, so she took her time rubbing shower gel over her skin, then massaged shampoo into her hair. She would never hear the end of it if her boss ever caught her swimming with her hair down like she did today. She smiled to herself and began adding conditioner—a necessity when one spent as much time in the water as she did.

Once she was satisfied that she was squeaky-clean from head to toe, she twisted the shower off and grabbed a fresh towel. As she began patting herself dry, she caught sight of her own reflection in the full length mirror hanging on the far wall. She paused, her pleasant mood drooping a little as she looked at herself.

She was short even for a girl, standing just a hair over five feet even—not that anyone counted that. Years of working in the water had made her slim and toned, and while she wasn't exactly ripped, muscle was clearly visible beneath her skin as she moved. Thanks to her Irish heritage, that skin was pale and fair—ivory, her mother used to call it. Since she spent more time underwater than in the sun these days, her freckles were so pale they were almost unnoticeable unless someone was extremely close to her...and no one ever got that close. The darkest ones were on her cheeks, and her mother used to say that when she was a baby, a fairy must have come by while she was asleep, kissed her face, and left fairy dust behind as it flew away.

Her mother used to say a lot of silly things like that. It was all she could do to smother her only child with love while she tried to understand why other children always avoided her—adults, too.

Elizabeth quickly pushed the memory of her mother away and shook out her hair. Her fellow employees didn't hesitate to tell her that she was crazy to work as an aquatic animal trainer and keep her hair as long as she did. The other girls all had short bobs, the longest reaching only shoulder length. Elizabeth had grown her hair to knee-length years ago, and she planned to keep it that way. She couldn't really say why—beyond that it felt like it gave her something to hide behind. Having hair this long in New York was weird enough; that she had to braid it, coil it, and fight with it for ages before she could get it up in the regulation swim cap made it even nuttier. Knowing it raised so many eyebrows made her want to keep it all the more. She was already a freak, so why not look the part? Sometimes she was tempted to get tattoos and piercings...but she didn't really want them, so she left it at the hair.

Her lengthy locks curled tightly when she left them loose, so she usually wore her hair up. It wasn't anything like her mother's hair, even though hers had also been red. Her mother's hair had been straight and smooth and bore highlights that shimmered like gold in the sunlight. Elizabeth's curls were just plain red, like rubies. Like blood. Her mother's eyes had been a soft, gentle blue. Elizabeth's were deep green. Like the hills of Ireland, her mother used to say. Her mother often likened her daughter to the land of her roots, which was ironic, since Elizabeth had never seen it in person.

And then there was her face. It was heart-shaped, with high cheekbones and full, pouty lips. Her eyelashes were long, dark and thick. At only seventeen, she knew she had a face—and a body—most women would kill for. Looking at herself now, she couldn't deny what she saw: she was young and beautiful. She took no pride in being either.

It made what she had to endure even harder. If she ever met anyone with the slightest inclination to pity her, that pity died where it began when they saw what she had. What could someone with looks like hers possibly have to complain about? Sometimes she wished she was ugly, so her loneliness would seem justified.

With a scoff, she finished drying off and got dressed. After grabbing her bag, she carefully turned off all the lights, locked up and walked home. Even though her apartment was a good ways away from the aquarium, she never took a cab. It was always dark by the time she went home except in summer, and she liked to cut through a special garden along the way whenever she could. Sometimes she would stay there for hours, lying next to the trickling stream that ran through it, or sitting in the branches of a tree as she watched the stars. It was quiet in the garden. She liked quiet. And that was the best she could ever find: quiet. She could never find silence.

"Hey, Frederick," she greeted as she unlocked the door to her apartment. "How was your day?"

Elizabeth smiled as she nudged the door shut with her foot. A plump rat the size of a small house cat was sitting on her kitchen table, lazily munching a cracker. Seeing him always made her smile. If her neighbors only knew. They ostracized her as it is. If word got out that she, a New Yorker, had a pet rat, she'd be run clear out of town. Sometimes she tried to imagine what it would be like to live somewhere else. Far out in the country, maybe—or maybe she'd move to her mother's homeland. She could purchase a tiny cottage on an Irish hillside, and no one would ever bother her again.

The thought always made her sigh. She didn't have the money to move at all, let alone out of the country. Plus the animals at the aquarium needed her. A lot of animals needed her.

As she sat down at the kitchen table, Frederick, the giant hooded rat, sat up on his haunches and pulled the cracker out of his mouth. "Oh, you know," he sighed. "Same o', same o'."

* * *

"I'm bored, dudes."

Leonardo was sitting by himself trying to meditate—which wasn't easy when his hyper-active brother kept saying the same thing over, and over, and over...

On the couch, Raphael looked up wearily from the comic book he was trying to read. "Michelangelo, if you say that _one_ more time, I'm stuffing this into your mouth."

"But I can't help it," the orange-clad turtle sitting next to him complained as he slumped into the couch cushions. "There's nowhere to go and nothing to do, so what else can I say when I'm so bored except _I'm bored_?"

"That does it..."

Michelangelo leaped up from the couch with a yelp as Raphael lunged at him, comic book raised ominously. They raced out of the room just as Splinter was walking in, narrowly missing being run over by his former students as he edged to the side of the round doorway. "Perhaps it would be best if each of you were to take a break," he said calmly, as a loud crash came from somewhere behind him. "From each other as well as your duties."

"What duties?" asked Donatello politely. "The city is as peaceful as a tomb."

"But he has a point," said Leonardo, getting up to step hastily between his playfully arguing brothers as they ran back into the room. "It might do us some good to get out for a few days. Seek solitude. Reflect."

"Oh, sure," muttered Raphael with a roll of his eyes. "Our vacations have always gone _so_ smoothly in the past."

"I'm game," said Donatello, brightening as he moved past them and grabbed the device he had been working on. "If only to find some peace and quiet so I can finish this. Maybe I could visit the planetarium while I'm at it, or a few museums..."

He left, talking to himself. Grimacing, Michelangelo dodged past Raphael. "If I stick around here I'll be eating comic books. I'm heading up for a pizza."

"Hurry back," the red-clad turtle called sarcastically before sitting down and opening his comic again. But he only sat still for a minute or two before he got up restlessly. "I feel like a movie. Catch you later."

Leonardo smiled to himself as he watched them all leave one by one. "I guess I'll be going, too. I wouldn't mind spending a few days meditating in the open air for a change. Farewell, Sen—er, Splinter."

His former teacher smiled. "I wish you well."

The blue-garbed ninja dipped his head respectfully and went up to the surface. He didn't bother grabbing a disguise—pretty much the entire city knew about them now, so there wasn't much point anymore—and kept to the shadows as he moved through the streets. The city was as it had been for ages now: quiet. Sure, radios and TVs blared, car horns honked, and people talked, laughed, and shouted—but it was all normal. The only dangers to be found these days were the occasional foolish thugs, and even those had become scarce. Although as he moved up to the rooftops and looked out over the city below, lit up brightly as the night deepened, he had to wonder if the quiet was truly meant to last.

* * *

Usagi bolted up in bed with a yelp. "Not again," he groaned, rubbing his tired eyes.

In the other rooms, the animals chattered and squeaked in their cages, as unhappy as he over having their sleep ruined. Three nights ago, someone had anonymously left a dog tied to the front steps. Naturally, Obento had taken the poor creature in. And they hadn't been able to sleep since.

The animal was wild and untamed, with a violent spirit. Usagi was leery of going near it. He was pretty sure the massive beast would like very much to devour him. And it barked, snarled, and howled endlessly, especially at night after the rest of them had gone to bed. Just when it would finally quiet down and he would drift off to sleep—up it would start again, yanking him ruthlessly from his dreams.

As he got up from his futon bed, Usagi was amazed to see that his master was still sound asleep, and snoring quietly. The human's smaller ears were a blessing sometimes, it seemed; he could sleep through just about anything. Usagi couldn't help envying him, and he rubbed the sides of his tired head as he moved to the main part of the animal shelter. The ferocious beast in question quieted his violent snarling as he came in—Usagi thought it sounded downright demonic when it was making that noise—and eyed him curiously through the bars of its cage. Though a mere cage was proving to not be hardly enough to contain it; they'd already had to reinforce it twice. But the creature was strangely still as he drew near, its black eyes watching his every movement.

The dog was enormous—even Obento had commented on his size. A mutt, he had called it, though Usagi wasn't sure what that meant. A few other names drifted through his mind as he studied the creature...none of them pleasant. The hair of its body was black as night, while its paws, tail, and muzzle were a fiery red. Its pointed ears swiveled this way and that, giving the impression that it could hear anything and everything. Its coal black eyes seemed to threaten to burn right through him.

"It's just an animal," he reminded himself out loud.

They didn't talk, act, or think like they did in his own world. Sometimes he wondered if they thought at all. There were others, though, like his four friends. They had been ordinary animals too, once, but they had been changed. Whether that was normal or not, Usagi didn't care. Better something that went against the norm than nothing at all. Without them, he would feel completely alone in this world.

 _No point in denying it,_ he thought with a sigh. _I feel that way anyway, sometimes._

Of course, he had been alone in his own world too, but that had been because of the path he'd chosen. Here, he was alone because there was no one else like him. He didn't belong here, but he was stuck here, and he had no hope of ever getting home again. True, he had his master Obento now, but what if something were to happen to him? Where would he go then? He shivered and tried not to think about it.

While he was silently brooding, the enormous dog had settled down, lying with its head on its large paws, though its eyes continued to watch him. Usagi smiled faintly and dared take a step closer. "You are alone as well, yes?" he murmured. "Someone left you here because they did not want you."

He felt sorry for the creature in spite of himself. He took another step and rested a hand atop the cage. "We could be friends, if you like."

He knew the beast couldn't understand him, but extending the invitation felt right. The pointed ears swiveled, as though the dog was listening to him—and then it rose up with the force of a truck, slamming against the front of the cage as it barked and snarled fiercer than ever. Startled, Usagi jerked back. His foot caught the side of the rug and he tumbled backwards, landing on his rear. The dog stopped barking and looked at him. Creatures in this world couldn't laugh, but Usagi swore that this one was trying to. It was certainly laughing at him with its eyes.

"Very well," he muttered, brushing himself off. "I bid you goodnight."

The dog did the same, serenading him until dawn. By then his ears felt black and blue, and he groaned when Obento arose in the best of moods. "Come, Usagi," he said cheerfully. "There are chores to be done."

* * *

Elizabeth was pulled from her sleep by the harsh buzz of her alarm clock. "I don't want to go to work today," she groaned, yanking the pillow over her head.

"So don't," said Frederick as he walked across her back. "Let's go for a walk in the park. I'll pop out of your bag and scare away all the happy couples."

Elizabeth giggled in spite of herself. "You're awful," she declared.

"And hungry. You better feed me before I waste away to nothing."

"You could stand to lose a few pounds," Elizabeth muttered, but she climbed out of bed with a grin.

After breakfast, she grudgingly walked to work. When she neared the front doors of the aquarium, she bit back a groan of disappointment. Eric Blaine, her nemesis, was standing on the steps. Hitting on Stacy Miller again—naturally. She tried to duck by them, but Eric caught sight of her and dodged into her path just as she reached the top step.

"Hey, freak," he greeted cheerily. Stacy retreated inside. Elizabeth tried to follow her, but Eric kept blocking her way. "I'm going to be late," she said testily.

The black-haired researcher responded by grabbing her shoulder and shoving her hard. She stumbled and nearly toppled backwards down the stairs. "I never really thanked you for ratting on me about my affair with Alice Baker," he told her, his grin doing nothing to mask the hatred in his eyes. "I had a good thing going, and you ruined it. I don't know how you found out, but you need to learn to keep your yap shut."

"Kathy loved you," said Elizabeth, as bravely as she could. "She had the right to know what you were up to while she waited for you at home."

Eric's grin twisted into a snarl. "It was none of your business," he said, through clenched teeth. "Or maybe," he went on, his expression suddenly smoothing, "you were just jealous. Maybe you wanted me to notice you."

He reached a hand out to her face; Elizabeth ducked away with a shudder. "I've never seen you with a man," Eric went on relentlessly. "I could fix that, you know."

 _I'd sooner pick my nose with a fork_ , thought Elizabeth.

Just then, as if out of the blue, a bird swooped down with a squawk. Eric recoiled with a yelp as it smacked into the side of his face, leaving a long scratch. While he hollered and swore in rage, Elizabeth ran by and bolted inside. She raced to the women's locker room, changed into her suit and coiled her hair into her swim cap. She then retreated to the safety of the large training tank, where the new orca was being kept.

"Hey, Mac," she greeted as she glided through the water.

"Hey," sighed Mac as he surfaced.

"How are you settling in?"

"Okay, I guess," he replied, sighing again. "It just feels weird being by myself."

Mac was just a kid, and he'd recently been transferred from the aquarium he'd been born in, where he had lived with his mother. He was awfully lonely without her. Elizabeth could relate.

"Well, don't you worry. I'm here for you," she told him with a smile.

She stayed with him for several hours before moving on to Minnie's tank. Minnie, whose full name was Minerva, was actually owned by the neighboring zoo, and she was being trained here for shows they planned to put on in the fall—educational shows, of course. "See you tomorrow," she called when she climbed out at the end of the day.

While she was drying off, she noticed one of the new girls watching her. As Elizabeth pulled her swim cap off and blotted her hair, the girl leaned close to Stacy and whispered, "She's so weird. I can't put my finger on it, but..."

"I know," Stacy whispered back. "But she's the best trainer we've ever had, so the boss puts up with it. She really needs a social life, though."

They walked away, still whispering to each other. Elizabeth went to the locker room with a sigh. She rinsed off and changed in record time and clocked out. As she was heading down the hall to the exit, someone she didn't know darted out of one of the rooms up ahead. He lingered just outside the doorway, a strange look on his face, before hurrying away. Elizabeth paused; others followed after the first guy, acting almost the same way. They all trickled out of the room one after another, some in a big hurry, others pausing to whisper to each other. Finally, the trickle stopped and silence fell, marked only by the muffled chatter of the nearby tropical fish.

Her curiosity piqued, Elizabeth shouldered her bag and strolled through the open door, keeping a lookout for just what made everyone take off like that. Through the wide doorway was the vast room that displayed the tropical fish and other exotic sea creatures, with small tanks along the outer walls and one giant circular tank in the center of the room. Though it was still a half-hour before closing, the room was empty except for a lone visitor.

Elizabeth stopped short, understanding the odd commotion now. The short figure wore a loose coat, but it did little to hide a simple truth: he wasn't human. He was one of _them_. She'd heard of them, of course, but she had never seen one before. She was about to leave quietly, in case he didn't want to be disturbed, but picturing how everyone else just ran out stopped her. They had run from the differences they could see...just like they pushed her away for the ones they couldn't.

 _Birds of a feather_ , a voice inside her said.

Her heart started to thump. She had waited her whole life for a chance like this—waited so long she had all but given up hope that a chance like this would ever come. Now it was here, and she was a bundle of nerves as she took a step closer. She wet her lips, took a breath and smiled.

"Hi."


	2. A Chance Worth Taking

Donatello chuckled to himself as he watched the clownfish playing in the glass tank in front of him. It was impossible not to, they were so lively and colorful. As he watched them dart around, he was vaguely aware that everyone else in the room were suddenly making a hasty exit. Someone must have noticed him. He decided to ignore what was happening and moved on to look at the sea urchins. Pretty soon he had the place to himself, though a minute later he felt someone step into the room softly, soundlessly. He expected them to head back out in a hurry, but...

"Hi," he heard someone say in a quiet voice.

Donatello turned around in surprise. "Hi," he said in return.

He looked at the speaker for a moment—and pulled himself straighter. She was one of the prettiest girls he'd ever seen. The denim jeans and jacket she wore didn't hide her shapely figure, and she had an amazing mane of red curls. They were pulled back into a ponytail twisted and knotted at the base, but even then they hung past her waist. She smiled as she adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder, but he could tell she was nervous. Shy.

"I'm off the clock, but I'll be happy to give you a tour, if you like."

The offer took him by surprise. "Oh—no, I've pretty much seen everything."

"Oh."

Her eyes lowered beneath her thick lashes. She looked disappointed—but a second later she brightened. "Have you met Mac yet?"

"No. Who's Mac?"

She beckoned with a smile. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

Curious, he followed her down a series of hallways separate from the main exhibits. During the trip they got a few confused stares from customers and employees alike, but his guide didn't seem to notice. When they reached the end of another hallway, she pushed open a set of doors and waved him inside. He entered a large, wide room with a giant tank of water set in the floor, with cement walkways around it and ladders leading into it, like a swimming pool. "Wait here," his guide instructed, before walking over and kneeling down at the edge of the training tank. "Mac," she called, her voice sweet.

The surface of the water rippled and bubbled, and a second later a small orca surfaced. It huffed water out of its blowhole, then swam over to the edge and chittered excitedly. The girl laughed and stroked his nose. Donatello felt himself smile as he knelt beside her. "He's pretty small," he noted. "Is he still a baby?"

Mac made a grunting sound, and the girl laughed again. "Pretty much. He's being kept here until they move him to the main display tank," she explained. "It's hard enough to adapt to a new environment without having people stare at him all day."

"A good idea," commented Donatello. He reached to pat the orca's smooth black nose; the ocean-savvy mammal nuzzled his palm.

The girl sat back on her heels and looked at him. "I'm Elizabeth," she said, offering her hand.

"Donatello."

His hand was damp from petting Mac, but she didn't seem to mind. The orca suddenly chittered and dove beneath the surface. "Are you still here?" an irritated voice behind them asked.

Elizabeth stood in a hurry. "I was just leaving," she said briskly. She glanced at the water, but Mac didn't resurface. Donatello looked at the man who just spoke; he was tall, black-haired and swarthy, and he was glaring daggers at Elizabeth. He didn't seem to notice that her companion was a five-foot tall turtle.

Elizabeth frowned, then adjusted her bag and left the room. As he followed Donatello cast a glance over his shoulder at the angry-looking man still behind them, though he didn't make a move to follow. "Where are you headed?" Elizabeth asked as the reptile fell in step beside her.

"Dinner," he responded.

"Me too," the young redhead said eagerly. "Let's go together. I'll pay."

Donatello slowed his pace a notch. He couldn't help but wonder what her motives were right now. When people weren't avoiding him and his brothers, they were usually hounding them like crazed fans. But Elizabeth was acting like any normal, friendly girl who enjoyed keeping the company of others. She didn't behave like there was anything odd or different about keeping his company.

Not only that, it wasn't every day a pretty girl came up and asked him out—so to speak.

"That's okay," he said, quickening his pace again. "I can cover it."

"I insist."

"No, I insist."

Elizabeth arched a russet eyebrow. "Split the bill?"

The reptilian scientist chuckled. "Deal."

* * *

It was after sunset when a sharp ringing in the distance suddenly broke into Leonardo's deep meditation—the distinct ringing of an alarm. He quickly stood and scaled down from the roof to the street, where he dashed to find the source of the sound. It faded as he neared what looked like a simple curio shop—a curio shop that specialized in Japanese antiques.

"What happened?" he asked as he stepped through the open front door.

The shop was empty except for the owner, who was clearly stricken. He was darting for a phone and running a hand through his thinning hair in distress, but he stopped and stared in surprise. "Oh, you're one of..."

His gaze turned imploring. "You're Japanese, aren't you? Surely you understand how horrendous this crime is."

"What was stolen?" asked Leonardo.

The aging man turned and pointed to a broken display case at the back of the shop. "A set of old scrolls—and they weren't for sale. They've been in my family for generations."

 _Old scrolls?_ thought the young ninja. That never boded well. "What was written in them?"

"Nothing of real importance—except to me. They contained stories written by a famous poet, who happened to be one of my ancestors."

As simple as that? Leonardo doubted it, but he could hope. "I'll do what I can to recover them," he promised before he hurried off to search for any clues.

* * *

"Let's see," Donatello mused as he scanned the menu. "I think I'll have pepperoni, onions, and, uhhhh, clams."

The waitress taking his order looked at him oddly, but she jotted each of the requested pizza toppings down. Across the table, Elizabeth pursed her lips in thought. "I usually don't order anything other than mushrooms, but...what the heck, I'll have clams, too."

The waitress wrote that down wordlessly, followed by their drink orders, then walked away shaking her head. Elizabeth grinned and rested her chin on her folded hands. "I never eat seafood if I can help it," she commented.

"I can see why it might make you feel a little weird," said Donatello, thinking about how much time she must spend around sea creatures every day. "Why order clams, then? It's a pretty bold choice, by the way," he added with a grin.

Elizabeth's own grin faded. "Clams can't talk," she stated solemnly.

Donatello looked at her blankly for a moment—then started to chuckle. This girl was something else.

The restaurant they chose was just down the street from the aquarium, smallish and decorated mostly in dark shades: burgundy carpet with a dark tan undertone, wine-colored vinyl covers on the seats, polished black chair backs, dark brown walls. Soft lighting with frosted white shades hung over the booths and tables. The place had a cozy feel and was pretty quiet even though it was dinnertime—that is until a loud and very familiar voice suddenly yelled out, "Hey, dude!"

Donatello looked up and saw Michelangelo hurrying over to their booth, hand raised in greeting. He paused while the waitress came back to deliver their drinks, then stood next to the table. "What are you doing here?" asked Donatello.

The orange-clad turtle gave him a funny look. "Duh—it's scarf time, dude."

His mouth was open to say more...but nothing came out. His gaze had fallen on Elizabeth, who was quietly sipping her drink. "Ummm..."

Donatello leaned his head on his palm and watched, mildly amused, as his hyper brother visibly fumbled for something to say. "Wow," was the first word he managed, after staring for nearly a minute.

Elizabeth flushed and ducked her head. Donatello breathed a sigh. He'd been looking forward to a dinner filled with intelligent conversation for a change. There wasn't much hope for that now.

"This is Elizabeth, from the aquarium I was visiting today," he offered, while Elizabeth silently stirred the ice in her drink. "She's—"

"Wow," Michelangelo said again. "You're really—I mean, that's beautiful. Your name, I mean. Um..."

He flushed and looked away. Donatello couldn't remember the last time his chatty brother had gotten so tongue-tied. Elizabeth suddenly cleared her throat and looked up. "Would you like to join us?" she offered politely.

The invitation was eagerly accepted, and Donatello had to scoot over as his brother shoved his way into the booth. The waitress came back with their pizzas and looked less than thrilled to have to jot down another one—marshmallow and pickles—and Michelangelo peppered Elizabeth with questions while he waited. How long had she worked at an aquarium? What did she do there? Did she live near here? What did she do for fun?

Elizabeth answered each question in turn, her eyes downcast shyly. "I've been a trainer for two years now. It's my job to work with cetaceans, like dolphins, porpoises, and killer whales. I don't live very close to the aquarium, and...I can't say I have a whole lot of fun, usually."

"Well, that's a bummer," said Michelangelo sympathetically.

Elizabeth shrugged and ate her meal quietly. Donatello suspected that she had asked him to dinner so he could learn more about him. With the conversation turned the other way, she looked a little uncomfortable. And Michelangelo's less than subtle stares weren't helping.

"What's your favorite song?" the eager turtle suddenly asked.

Elizabeth blinked, then turned her head to gaze out the window. Her expression had turned dreamy. "Humpback whale song," she replied softly. "I never get tired of listening to it. It's so beautiful, it's haunting."

Michelangelo didn't look like he knew how to respond to that. Donatello hastily took advantage of his momentary silence. "Have you ever seen one up close?" he asked.

Elizabeth gave a laugh and shook her head. "No—we're much too small for that. I'd love to, though. Someday."

As the two of them continued to chat about aquatic life, Michelangelo started to fidget in boredom, but he didn't get up to leave, even though he, as always, had scarfed down his pizza in record time. He waited impatiently until dinner was over and Elizabeth paid for her portion of the bill before jumping to his feet. "I'll walk you home," he offered with a smile.

Elizabeth looked surprised, and she lowered her gaze as she slipped her bag over her shoulder. "That's all right. I don't mind walking alone."

Michelangelo's demeanor drooped like a wilted flower. Elizabeth bit her lip. "But I don't really mind company, either."

Recovering in a hurry, the hyper turtle ushered her to the door. "See you, dude!"

As he paid for his own part of the check, Donatello noted that his younger brother looked awfully happy, but he decided not to read too much into it. Michelangelo had had crushes before, to no real end. And he doubted Elizabeth would continue humoring him after they parted ways at her doorstep.

* * *

"So, what's it like to swim with fish all day?"

Michelangelo didn't mean to keep pestering, but he couldn't help it. There was just something about Elizabeth that made him want to know everything there was to know about her.

The petite girl didn't answer right away. The street they walked was dark and quiet, with only the occasional car zipping by and a small bird chirping noisily in a tree above them. It was awfully late for it to be up, he noted. Elizabeth smiled and lifted her hand as if in greeting. The bird chirruped and flew away.

"I swim with mammals, mostly," she corrected. "And I love it. Being underwater, not hearing anything except for the bubbles and the animal I'm swimming with...it's like slipping off into another world."

It sounded awfully nice when she put it that way, and he could easily imagine the two of them swimming deep in the blue of the ocean together, not a care in the world...

He cleared his throat. "Which is your favorite? Besides humpbacks, that is," he added with a grin.

Elizabeth slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket and thought about it for a moment. "Sea otters," she decided.

"Sea otters?" he echoed in surprise. "How come?"

She gave a shrug. "We had one a few months ago. He was the sweetest thing...I really miss him."

She breathed a sigh, suddenly looking so sad Michelangelo was sorry he'd brought it up. "What happened to him?" he asked hesitantly.

"He was shipped off to a zoo in San Diego."

"Oh."

They both grew quiet for a moment. And then, because he just couldn't help himself, Michelangelo cheekily asked, "What about turtles?"

Elizabeth smirked. "I haven't had much opportunity to swim with turtles."

He grinned playfully. "Well, we'll just have to fix that."

Elizabeth stopped walking. Michelangelo did, too, his cheeky grin fading in a hurry. "Sorry, I hope that wasn't rude..."

Elizabeth giggled at him. "No, silly. We're here."

She pointed at the apartment building they were standing in front of. Michelangelo flushed. "Oh."

"Do you want to come up for a minute?"

"You don't mind?"

She shook her head. "I've got an extra soda can or two in the fridge. Come on."

He followed her up the front steps, down a carpeted hallway and up a small elevator. She unlocked a door marked 107 and ushered him inside. "I'm home," she called as she kicked off her sneakers.

The apartment was small and mostly a one-room deal, with a kitchen area to his left and a living room to his right, separated by carpet and linoleum. There were a couple of closed doors he assumed led into the bathroom and bedroom, but that was about it.

Movement suddenly caught his attention; he turned his head to see something with mink-and-white fur walking along the back of a sofa. His eyes went round. "That's the second biggest rat I've ever seen."

His choice of words made Elizabeth laugh. "I'd love to meet the first."

"Really? I'll have to introduce you."

She looked at him like she was wondering whether he was kidding or not as she went over to the fridge. As she pulled out two cans of soda, the meaty rodent hopped down with a thump that rattled a nearby shelf. He padded into the kitchen, claws clicking on the linoleum; Elizabeth bent and fed him an apple wedge.

"What can I say," she sighed as she scratched behind his pink ears. "I'm a sucker for anything with fur and four legs."

"But you're not, like, totally opposed to no fur and two legs, right?" Michelangelo asked shyly.

As she straightened up again, Elizabeth looked at him over the top of her soda can. Her smile was soft and shy. "No. Not when they belong to someone as sweet as you."


	3. Friendship and Mystery

"That was shameless," Frederick stated as Elizabeth tugged a nightgown over her head.

"What was?" she wondered distractedly.

"The way you flirted with that reptile."

Elizabeth blushed to her scalp. "I wasn't flirting," she muttered.

She finished straightening her nightgown and crawled into bed. Frederick hopped up beside her and settled down next to her pillow. "I was kidding," he said, with a rat grin. "I doubt you even know how to flirt."

Grumbling, Elizabeth switched off the bedside lamp and pulled the blanket to her chin. Frederick rested his head on her shoulder. "Do you like him?" he asked.

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to beat around the bush once in a while."

"Is that a yes?"

Elizabeth wanted to hide under the covers. "I don't know," she said instead. "I only just met him, but..."

She folded her hands on her middle and thought about the solid hour or so they had spent talking in her kitchen. Talking and laughing. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much. "He's nice," she ventured.

"He's different," said Frederick.

"That's kind of the point."

Elizabeth was fully aware of how ironic it would be if she found acceptance with a group like theirs—especially when they were unaware of how her own species shunned her.

"Outcast meets outcast, huh?"

Elizabeth stifled a sigh. "I might be human," she murmured, "but I've never felt at home among them."

"Are you going to tell him why?"

"I think you know better than that."

* * *

Leonardo didn't get a whole lot of sleep that night. While investigating the incident at the curio shop, he soon learned that there had been a string of similar robberies all week. Each object stolen was an ancient Japanese relic: books, pieces of art, weapons, pottery. There didn't seem to be any connection between them, or the places they were taken from. And there was never any evidence left behind. Most of the places hit didn't even realize they had been robbed until the owner noticed something was missing.

Leonardo had a growing list of suspicions, which he decided to keep to himself for now. His brothers were busy—and even if they weren't, it wasn't like this was a dangerous situation he needed their help with. He wanted to handle this on his own if he could...especially if his number one suspicion was correct.

"Hey, dudes," Michelangelo greeted his brothers cheerfully as he joined them in the kitchen later that morning, a while after Leonardo finally dragged himself out of bed.

"You're too late," Raphael told him unsympathetically. "We just finished breakfast. And no, we didn't save you any pizza."

"It's cool," the orange-clad turtle responded, unconcerned. "I ate before I went out."

Leonardo was busy clearing the table, but he stopped and stared in surprise when he realized that Michelangelo wasn't alone. He had a girl with him...a really pretty one.

"Who's your friend?" he wondered.

Raphael and Donatello followed his gaze curiously; Donatello brightened. "Well, hey, Elizabeth," he greeted. "Glad to see you again—and so soon, too," he added, with a wry smile in her hyper companion's direction.

Michelangelo stuck out his tongue. Leonardo stepped forward and extended a hand to their guest. "Nice to meet you, Elizabeth," he said as the lovely girl grasped it. "You aren't in some sort of trouble, are you?"

"Trouble?" She looked surprised. "Not exactly. But I guess you're used to meeting people by rescuing them," she went on with a grin. "You could say that your brothers rescued me from boredom."

"Well, you can bet when Michelangelo is around, bored is the last thing you'll be," Raphael told her wryly.

Elizabeth giggled. "I noticed that."

Just then Splinter walked into the kitchen. He stopped in surprise when he noticed the pretty stranger. "May I ask who our young guest is?" he inquired politely.

"Oh—this is Elizabeth," Donatello told him. "We met last night while I was visiting the aquarium."

Leonardo glanced sidelong at Elizabeth, inwardly bracing himself for her reaction. Most girls didn't handle meeting Splinter very well. Some shrank back...others ran away screaming.

But Elizabeth, he quickly realized, wasn't most girls.

The sight of the large rodent made her bug her eyes out a little—and then she clasped her hands, leaned forward and exclaimed, "He's so cute! Can I keep him?"

They all stared—especially Splinter, who looked startled. Michelangelo was squirming. "Ummm, don't you already have Frederick?"

"Always room for one more."

He nudged her and whispered, "He used to be human."

Elizabeth straightened up and turned pink. "Oh. Sorry."

Splinter chuckled and waved his hand dismissively, though he looked a little embarrassed. "That's quite all right. Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Or something close to it," added Raphael. Leonardo glanced around the kitchen and wrinkled his nose. It had been a while since they had company, so they hadn't really been keeping things tidy.

Elizabeth stayed quiet until Splinter left the kitchen again. Then she turned and smacked Michelangelo's arm with a scowl. "You could have told me that sooner," she muttered.

"Hey, I didn't think it was that big a deal," he said sheepishly.

"Not a big deal?"

The redhead lifted her hand and made a pinching motion with her fingers. "I was _this_ close to rubbing behind his ears."

Leonardo had to wonder who would have been more mortified: Splinter or Elizabeth herself.

But with a few more sheepish smiles and apologies, things were soon smoothed over, and before long she was seated at the table with the other three turtles, sipping sodas and talking together. Leonardo didn't join them. His mind was still occupied with yesterday's search.

Raphael suddenly noticed that he was standing off by himself. "You look a little gloomy there. What's up?"

He still wanted to handle this himself, but...his lack of progress yesterday indicated that he could use a hand. "Now that you mention it..."

The ninja leader filled them in on the mysterious string of thefts. "And everything stolen is Japanese?" asked Donatello, his swift mind already hunting for connections.

"There doesn't seem to be any relation between the thefts beyond that," Leonardo sighed.

He had searched for clues for ages only to come up empty-handed. "I wonder if this is the work of an individual or a group?" his scientific brother mused.

"Either way, sounds like our vacation needs to be cut short for some stakeouts," put in Raphael.

"Stakeouts?" echoed Leonardo.

"Sure," said Michelangelo. "There are plenty of places around here that could be hit next."

"Such as?"

"Well, there's that new shop that opened up a couple of blocks from here," suggested Donatello.

"And that Japanese museum downtown," added Raphael.

"And don't forget the animal shelter," put in Michelangelo.

Elizabeth, who had kept quiet during all this, suddenly spoke up. "Why would there be Japanese relics at an animal shelter?" she asked curiously.

"Oh—everything there is animal related, and the guy who owns the place takes in the real thing every now and then, too," Michelangelo explained.

Now she looked interested. "Sounds like my kind of place."

"Then it's settled," the orange-garbed turtle said as he grabbed her hand. "We'll head over to the shelter and scope things out."

"And I'll check out the museum," Donatello decided.

"I guess that leaves me the new place," sighed Raphael.

"Totally, dude. It's across the street from an all-night pizza place," Michelangelo told him with a grin.

Brightening considerably, Raphael hurried out, with Donatello close behind. Michelangelo followed them with Elizabeth in tow. Leonardo headed up to the surface too, but with less enthusiasm than the others, and not just because he wasn't sure where to begin.

* * *

"I'm back," Obento called as he returned with bags full of food for the animals. "I trust nothing of interest happened while I was gone."

Usagi was kneeling in a corner of the main room, pouring milk into a small bowl. He finished and stood, and a trio of kittens mewled their thanks as they bounded over. "Things were...quieter," he allowed.

They had moved the dog to the back of the shelter yesterday. It kept frightening the smaller animals, not to mention visitors, so they decided to stop keeping it in the main room. Unfortunately, that meant it was closer to where they slept. Usagi covered a yawn while his master went to the storage room.

"Anybody home?" called a voice from over by the front door.

Startled, Usagi turned around. He had not seen any of his friends in many months, and his heart gave a small leap for joy as he beheld Michelangelo waving at him from across the room. "Hello, my friend," he greeted warmly as he hurried over. "It is good to see you again."

The grin the turtle gave him was sheepish. "Sorry we haven't dropped by in a while. We were, uh..."

"Busy saving the world," Usagi supplied wryly. "I know."

His gaze fell on the small figure standing shyly beside his friend. "And who is this?"

Michelangelo turned to the girl with the smile of someone who was thoroughly infatuated. "This is—"

"Elizabeth Cassidy," the girl supplied, with a polite nod of her head.

"Usagi Yojimbo," he returned, holding out his hand.

"I know," said Elizabeth as she took his hand. "Mikey had the goodness to explain your history to me on our way over here."

As she spoke, her eyes drifted to the turtle in question, who flushed and grinned. Obviously, they shared some private joke.

"If you are a friend of his, then you are a friend of mine," Usagi told her. "You are welcome here any time."

Elizabeth smiled, her eyes creasing. "Thank you. That's very sweet."

She gave his hand a squeeze before releasing it. Obento returned from putting the food away; after greeting their guests, he politely offered to brew them some tea.

After declining, Michelangelo said, "Nothing's gone missing around here, has it?"

"Missing?" echoed Obento in puzzlement. "Not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's like this," the ninja turtle started to say...but just then Elizabeth, who had also refused the tea, suddenly raised her hand.

"Pardon my interruption," she said apologetically, "but...is there a, uh, water closet nearby?"

Obento chuckled. "Through that door and down the hall," he instructed, pointing.

"Thanks—and I mean it."

She scurried away. The rest of them sat down in the seating area of the room, where mats and cushions were set out. One of the kittens trotted over and rubbed its head on Michelangelo's arm, who smiled in response and scratched behind its ears.

"Someone's been swiping Japanese relics," he told them, "so we thought we'd stop by. You know, to make sure everything's cool."

Obento turned somber. "They aren't searching for anything...mystical, are they?"

"Leonardo doesn't think so. It looks like all they're interested in is whatever's worth the most. You know, money-wise."

"There are many things here that are irreplaceable," the aging caretaker noted grimly. "This is most distressing."

"Well, that's why I'm here," said Michelangelo with a cheery smile. "I'll keep a lookout, and if anyone suspicious shows up..."

Usagi thought for a moment. "Were these places robbed at any particular time of day?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure they were all hit at night."

"I see..."

"I can come back later," his friend offered.

"That is quite all right," Usagi told him with a smile. "I am sure I can defend this place on my own. Thank you for alerting us to this threat."

Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden wild outburst of barking and snarling. Michelangelo jumped. "What is _that_?"

"That," sighed Usagi, "is our newest addition."

* * *

After she located and used the toilet, Elizabeth let curiosity get the better of her. She had never been in a place quite like this before and she discreetly roamed the back hallways for a few minutes as her eyes wandered. Everything was made in traditional Japanese style: rice paper walls, sliding doors, and shoji screens.

It was different, but she liked it already. It was quiet here. Only the chatter of the animals—like always—kept it from being completely silent. As she moved down one of the halls, she sneaked brief peeks in the rooms with their doors left open. One half-open door led into a small, square room with a tatami floor, and a closet with a sliding door that was open a crack. Two neatly rolled up futon beds were visible on one of the shelves. The air in the room smelled faintly of incense.

"Let me out of here!" a voice suddenly roared.

Elizabeth almost jumped out of her skin as she spun around. There was no one in sight, but the furious voice continued to rage on, mixed with guttural growling. It was coming from around the corner, just up ahead.

"If I ever get out of this thing, I'm going to tear your floppy ears right off your silly head!"

This statement was punctuated by the most vicious snarls she ever heard. She tiptoed forward until she was peeking around the corner; there was a large cage tucked at the end of the hall, and inside it was the biggest dog she had ever seen. Power radiated from its form as palpably as its rage, and its limbs rippled with muscle. Looking at its massive jaws, she imagined it could bite through her arm like a twig. Right now it was trying to bite through the bars of the cage.

"First his ears, then his tail," the dog growled lowly, metal creaking between its enormous teeth.

Elizabeth stepped around the corner and stood in front of the cage. "Stop that before you hurt yourself," she scolded softly. "And stop threatening to bite off body parts. It's rude."

The dog reacted the same way they all did. It stopped what it was doing and stared, eyes wide and bewildered. Elizabeth smiled.

* * *

"We do not know who left it here," Usagi said as he and Michelangelo went to the back of the shelter. "Though we welcome any animal, I am starting to wish they hadn't. I fear it may get loose and...harm one of the smaller animals."

"Maybe you'll get lucky and someone will adopt him?" Michelangelo suggested. He sounded a little nervous.

"Like who?" Usagi wanted to know.

"Ummm...someone who needs a good attack dog?"

They rounded a corner—and Usagi felt his heart stop for a second. "My lady!" he cried out.

Elizabeth was kneeling in front of the dog's cage—which was open. The monstrous creature was emerging. Without so much as a glance in her direction, it turned to face him. Ears flat and eyes narrowing, it began growling low in its throat. Usagi tensed, wondering if he should start running.

Elizabeth put a hand on its thick neck and whispered something in its flattened ear. The ears lifted. The dog sat.

Usagi was stunned. "How in the world did you manage to tame such a beast?" he asked, amazed.

Elizabeth smiled and rubbed the dog's ears. "Sometimes all it takes is a little understanding. His name is Hyena, by the way."

Michelangelo scratched his head. "He's not a hyena, he's a dog."

Elizabeth gave him a weary look and stood. "I didn't name him, Mikey."

Usagi doubted that was true. There wasn't anyone here who knew his real name. She smiled and gave the dog a pat on the head. "Just don't lock him up anymore and he won't give you any trouble."

Usagi doubted that, too. It was only after they decided he was unmanageable that they had caged him in the first place.

But Elizabeth seemed to have cast some sort of spell over the creature. As they returned to the main room, Hyena followed obediently at her heels, and he curled up at her feet when she tracked Obento to the kitchen and changed her mind about the tea. Though he was leery, Usagi eventually joined them at the kitchen table.

Michelangelo, who wasn't one for tea and chitchat, fidgeted restlessly. Elizabeth didn't fail to notice and drained her cup quickly. "Thank you, that was delicious," she said.

"You're quite welcome, young lady," said Obento with a smile.

As she set her cup down and pushed her chair back, Hyena suddenly jerked his head up and snapped at Usagi, who was sitting beside her. The harsh clack of his jaws made him jump. Elizabeth sighed and pushed Hyena away by his nose. "That's not funny," he heard her whisper.

As Hyena lay back down, Usagi was again struck with the feeling that the animal was laughing at him. Michelangelo stood and stretched, then grabbed Elizabeth's hand. "It's been real, dudes, but I promised Lizzie we'd have fun today."

"But I am having fun," Elizabeth told him as he tugged her out of the kitchen.

She quickly looked over her shoulder at Hyena, who sat up and watched her leave, ears raised. "Be good," she told him firmly. Her eyes shifted to Usagi, a warm smile touching her lips. "It was nice meeting you, Usagi. I hope we see each other again sometime."


	4. A Spark

After they left the animal shelter, Michelangelo took Elizabeth to every fun place he could think of. They cruised the mall, hit several arcades, then spent a few hours at an amusement park. It wasn't until the day was half over did it finally dawn on him that Elizabeth was a lot shier than he was, so she would probably like to hang out someplace a little quieter. So, after treating her to a late lunch at the nearest pizza parlor, he took her to a small park.

The petite young girl was visibly more comfortable here, and she sat down with a smile on the grass of a small hill that overlooked the pond. Michelangelo sat beside her and watched the water with her for a little while. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "Where do you want to head after this?"

Elizabeth tilted her head back and gazed up at the sky. "I think I'd like to stay here for a little longer, if that's all right."

"Hey, whatever you want is cool with me."

She smiled at him gratefully, then lay back and folded her arms beneath her head. Michelangelo flopped back beside her and rested his hands on his middle. Neither of them said anything for a while as they both quietly watched the clouds drifting by. Then, in a soft voice, Elizabeth asked, "Do you ever wish you were someone else?"

Michelangelo rolled over and propped his head on his hand in surprise. "Not really. I'm pretty happy just being me."

Elizabeth smiled faintly, her eyes still on the clouds. "I'm glad to hear it."

He studied her face for a moment. She looked sad all of a sudden. "What about you?" he asked.

She breathed a sigh. "I've worked hard my whole life, so I'm happy with who I am and what I have. It's other people who seem to have a problem being happy with me being me."

Michelangelo found that hard to believe. But the look on her face pained something deep inside him. "Well, I happen to think you're pretty awesome, just the way you are."

Something flickered through her eyes, too fast for him to identify it. She smiled at him as she sat up. "Come on. Let's go have some more fun."

* * *

Leonardo let out a grumble of frustration. Another place had been robbed tonight, only this time it was someone's home. A young woman's personal collection of Japanese hair combs had been stolen right out from under her nose. They were irreplaceable, and the woman had been in tears when Leonardo spoke to her. The sun had barely finished setting when the theft happened; he could already feel a long night ahead of him.

He contacted the others and explained what was going on, then patrolled the streets throughout the night, paying close attention to any place he could find that housed Japanese artifacts. By dawn, another three places had been hit, and not one of them was a business.

"This guy is getting pretty bold," Raphael noted when they met up at home just after sunrise.

"There _has_ to be some sort of connection in all this," muttered Donatello, who was in a foul mood from not being able to spot a pattern yet.

"It's best you search for answers later," Splinter advised. "You all need rest."

Michelangelo yawned loudly as he stretched his arms above his head, then scurried off to the bedroom. "Goodnight," he called cheerfully as he hopped into bed.

Raphael shot him a funny look before grabbing his toothbrush and heading into the bathroom. "What has _him_ in such a good mood?" he wondered.

* * *

When the first ray of sunlight appeared in the morning sky, Usagi breathed a sigh of grateful relief. He had already lost a lot of sleep thanks to Hyena, so keeping watch all night for prowlers wasn't exactly an improvement. And allowing the wild dog to roam free had him on edge. He had been well-behaved so far, but Usagi couldn't shake the feeling that the animal was waiting for his chance to chew him clear to the bone.

But at the same time, it was a blessing to have him around. Hyena didn't sleep last night either and instead kept watch by the front door, like a sentry. Even now that the sun was rising and the danger of burglary had passed, he remained at his post, like he was waiting for something. With a creature like him on guard, it was highly unlikely that anyone would be sneaking in. Usagi covered a yawn.

"I am going to bed now," he announced, addressing no one in particular.

The rest of the animals still slumbered, and Hyena didn't budge from his post as Usagi got up and went to his room. As he undressed and slipped under the bed covers, his thoughts returned to the way Elizabeth had charmed Hyena so mysteriously.

He had never met anyone quite like her before. Most women around here seemed hard somehow, rushing from place to place the way they did. From the moment he lay eyes on her, he knew that Elizabeth was different: she was gentle. And he had never seen hair quite like hers before, so very long and colored red as blood. It was striking.

As he lay back and closed his eyes, he wondered if he would ever see her again.

* * *

During a late breakfast (or early lunch, depending on how you looked at it) Leonardo laid out his plans for the day. Michelangelo was more interested in scarfing his food down and running out the door, so he only half-listened while their leader talked.

"I want everyone combing a different section of the city," he began, "and I want each of you to go back to the places already hit."

"What for?" Donatello wanted to know. "We've already scoured each place for clues and talked to any possible witnesses."

"There aren't any, by the way," Raphael reminded him. "No one has seen a thing."

"There might be something we missed," Leonardo said testily. "Now get out there and report back _anything_ that seems out of place, no matter how insignificant."

Raphael watched as he stormed out of the room. "I know stealing is bad and all, but he is taking this _way_ too seriously."

"Can't argue there," muttered Donatello, who looked like he could use another few hours of sleep.

Michelangelo was pretty sure he was the only one in good spirits. As soon as he wolfed down the last of his breakfast he hopped up with an absent "Later, dudes!" before running out of the kitchen. Without bothering with a disguise, he shot up to the surface and headed straight to Elizabeth's apartment building. He caught her just as she was coming down the front steps.

"Where you headed?" he asked eagerly.

She stopped with a look of surprise, like she hadn't been expecting to see him so early. It quickly turned to a look of disappointment. "To work. I only have one day off a week."

Michelangelo felt his heart sink. "Oh. That's okay...I, uh, have some things I need to do, too," he said quickly, remembering Leonardo's instructions.

Elizabeth smiled softly and gave his hand a squeeze. "Come pick me up as soon as my shift is over, okay? We can have dinner together."

His mood lifted in a hurry. "I'll be there," he promised.

* * *

"And there wasn't anything left behind?" Leonardo asked. "Footprints? Clothing fibers?"

The elderly shopkeeper he was speaking to shook his head sadly. "No," he sighed. "There's no evidence of any kind. I'm sorry I can't be more help."

"It's not your fault. Thanks for your time."

He left the latest place to be burglarized and returned to the street, where he growled in aggravation. He had spent the entire day searching, but there just weren't any clues. There didn't seem to be any connection between the items stolen or the people who owned them. And the items stolen were never the same. Some were of historical significance, some were worth a small fortune, others were very beautiful but not worth a whole lot. It was as if every object was selected on a whim, but each theft was executed flawlessly. It was driving him nuts.

"If only there was some way I could figure out which place will be hit next," he muttered.

If he could do that...

Then these thefts would end in a hurry, because he was going after the culprit himself.

* * *

After spending the day fruitlessly hunting the city for clues, Michelangelo hurried over to the aquarium at sunset. He hadn't been inside before and wasn't sure where to meet Elizabeth, so he went in and started wandering. The atmosphere of the aquarium was a relaxing one. The large rooms were quiet, and watching the sleek, colorful fish swimming lazily around in their brightly lit tanks made him feel at ease.

He watched a shark for a while, then moved on to a section marked Cetaceans. As he gazed up at the large tank housing the dolphins, his ears suddenly picked up loud voices coming from somewhere close by. It sounded like a heated argument. Wondering what was up, he followed the voices and tiptoed through a door labeled 'employees only.'

"I warned you about keeping your mouth shut," a male voice growled angrily from somewhere up ahead.

"I didn't say anything!" a girl cried.

Michelangelo felt his heart skip a beat, and not in a nice way: the girl sounded like Elizabeth.

" _Someone_ told Stacy to stay away from me, and the only person I know around here who sticks their nose into my business is you."

Quickening his pace, Michelangelo rushed down a long hallway and entered an open doorway that led into a vast room housing a training tank. Elizabeth was being pressed into the far corner of the room by a leering man with black hair.

"But like I said before," he went on, his angry voice suddenly turning oily and smooth. "Maybe you're just trying to keep the competition away. I bet you're dying to have me all to yourself."

Elizabeth tried to edge away; he grabbed her chin roughly and made her look at him. "All you have to do is ask, you know," he purred. "Why don't you—"

His sentence ended abruptly in a shrill cry as he was jerked back: Michelangelo had reached him and was pulling him away from Elizabeth. Growling, he twisted the jerk's arm behind his back and moved him farther away from her.

"Why don't _you_ stop harassing sweet girls, you big creep!"

"Sweet?"

The man laughed despite the pain he was in. "Elizabeth Cassidy isn't sweet, she's—"

He yelped as the angry turtle twisted his arm sharply. Michelangelo spun him away from Elizabeth before giving him a hard shove and letting go. The man spun back around, fists balled and ready for a fight, but his snarl morphed to a look of shock when he saw who had interfered.

"You're one of..."

His stared, then jerked his gaze back to Elizabeth. "Jeez, can't you at least stick to your own species? And people call me sick."

Michelangelo growled furiously and raised his fists ominously; the jerk yelped again and took off like a shot. Sighing, Michelangelo turned around. "You okay?"

Elizabeth was rubbing her face where he grabbed her. "Yes," she faltered, looking like she was on the verge of tears. Michelangelo quickly put a hand on her arm. "Come on," he coaxed. "Let's get out of here."

Elizabeth nodded with a sniffle. But instead of hurrying out of the corner and out of the room, she stepped forward and put her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered, sniffling again.

"Hey, no sweat," he assured her. He tried to sound calm, even though his heart was jumping strangely right now. She was hugging him awfully tight. After hesitating a few seconds, he rested his hands on her back. His fingers brushed over her curls; he marveled at how soft they felt.

Elizabeth stepped back and wiped her eyes. "So," she said, forcing a smile. "Ready to eat?"

"And how."

No one was around as they left the aquarium, but as they started down the front steps, he slipped his arm protectively around her waist. "Who was that guy, anyway?"

Elizabeth breathed a sigh. "Eric Blaine. He's had it out for me almost since the day I first came to work here. He blames me for all the trouble he's had finding a girlfriend lately."

Michelangelo snorted. "Right. Like there's no chance that girls are avoiding him because he's such a slimy jerk."

The petite redhead giggled and shifted closer to him. "Thanks again for the help," she said softly.

"It was nothing."

"Not to me."

They headed down the street to the same restaurant where they met. During dinner they talked casually and freely, telling the other about themselves, their life, what they hoped to have in the future. When he asked her, what Elizabeth told him she wanted most surprised him.

"To belong," she said, her gaze lowering shyly. "To be wanted."

After dinner, he remembered she liked to stay where it was quiet and took her off the busy streets to the rooftops above. They sat with their feet dangling over the edge of a brick apartment building and watched the moon rise. Feeling bold, Michelangelo slid his arm around her. She responded by resting her head on his shoulder.

"I love the night sky," she sighed, content. "There's something so soothing about it. Sometimes I wish I could see it from out in the country, so I can see the stars better."

"Me too," he agreed, though he had never really thought about it before. Elizabeth let out another content sigh. "I'm glad I met you," she said quietly.

"Me too," he told her—then cringed inwardly. He just said that.

But Elizabeth didn't look like she noticed as she lifted her head from his shoulder. Feeling self-conscious, he discreetly pulled his arm away. Elizabeth was twisting a curl around her finger, eyes downcast. "Will you come meet me after work tomorrow, too?" she asked.

"You bet I will," he replied eagerly.

"And the day after that?"

"Can't wait."

She lifted her eyes, meeting his gaze. He hadn't noticed before just how green her eyes were. They were almost Christmas tree green, only softer. "You only just met me," she reminded him.

"Yeah," he said, not understanding the significance. "So?"

"You hardly know me."

He still didn't see what the problem was. "I know enough."

"Such as?"

Now he looked at her oddly. Wasn't it obvious? "Such as you're sweet, and kind, and you aren't scared of trying new things—oh, and you didn't freak out when you met me or any of my buds. What else could I possibly need to know?"

Elizabeth looked at him for a long moment. Her eyes were silently searching his face, but he wasn't sure what she was looking for.

And then she kissed him.

Not a peck on the cheek—he'd had plenty of those—but a real, full-blown on the mouth kiss. By the time his brain fully registered what she was doing, she had already pulled back. She looked away and pressed a hand to her face.

"That was too sudden," she murmured, her cheeks red as roses.

"No," he said hastily. "I-I mean, yes, it was, but...I didn't mind. I mean, you could totally do it again...you know, if you want to."

Elizabeth looked at him again, her eyes shy beneath their thick lashes. "I never wanted to before."

"Never?" he echoed in surprise.

"Not ever."

She scooted closer and slid her arms around his neck. Heart jumping like a nervous frog, Michelangelo put his hands on her waist and closed his eyes. Elizabeth's lips brushed his, softly at first but the pressure gently increasing as she tightened her hold on him. Mikey found himself slipping his arms around her, pulling her closer. He had never been this close to a girl before. It made his heart race and heat rush through his skin.

Her soft lips continued to move over his, sometimes light as a feather, sometimes pressing firmly as she explored the shape of his mouth. Spurred by a growing excitement that quickly overshadowed his shyness, he started kissing her back. As he slowly moved his mouth over hers, his hands seemed to take on a mind of their own, gliding up and down her back and over the curves of her side. Elizabeth moaned softly and pressed herself against him.

When they finally parted, they were both flushed and short of breath. Elizabeth smiled shyly and cuddled close to him. Her face glowed, and her eyes were as bright as stars.

"I really like being with you, Mikey," she told him softly, her smile warm and sweet.

Michelangelo opened his mouth to respond—and was cut off by an unwelcome beeping. He groaned in annoyance and whipped his Turtle-com from his belt. "What?" he demanded, irritated.

The stern face of his fearless leader scowled at him from the screen. "You're still on patrol, aren't you?" questioned Leonardo warily.

"Ummmm..."

He had forgotten all about that. "Uh, yeah—of course. What else would I be doing?"

Leonardo eyed him suspiciously. "Quit goofing off and get downtown."

"Fine," he grumbled.

The young turtle cut the connection in a hurry. Elizabeth moved away and stood up. "I can see myself home," she offered...though she sounded awfully disappointed at the the thought of saying goodbye.

Michelangelo looked at her gloomy expression and felt this heart melt. "No, I'll walk you," he said quickly. "Besides, how else are you going to get down?"

Elizabeth flashed a wry smile before gazing down from the roof. "Well, I was going to take the stairs...but going down with you would probably be more fun."

She grinned at him, eyes expectant. Grinning back, he hoisted her in his arms and went back down to the street, ninja turtle style.


	5. Discovery

After a week of combing the streets by day and guarding various locations by night, Leonardo was ready to explode.

"Twenty more homes!" he fumed as he paced in front of the TV. "We might as well be chasing a ghost."

"I'm starting to think we might be," muttered Raphael, who was sitting on the couch trying to watch something. He frowned and craned his neck to see around his pacing leader. "How else could this guy get in and out of all these places without ever leaving a trace, or a hint of where he's going next?"

"There has to be a clue here somewhere," Donatello insisted. He was kneeling by the coffee table and busily spreading out lists of all the places robbed so far. "Nobody is _that_ good."

"Don't bet on it," grumbled Leonardo as he stopped pacing and began flipping through page after page of all the items that had been stolen, along with every last detail they could find out about each piece, whether it looked significant or not. "We're just wasting our time with all this," he noted pessimistically. "First it was Niigata relics, and then pieces from Nagano...whatever comes next is doomed."

He flipped a moment or two more...then stopped and stared as something clicked. "Wait a minute..."

The blue-clad turtle quickly gathered up each of the lists and carefully checked where each item originated from and on which night it had been stolen. "That's it!" he cried.

"What?" Donatello asked eagerly.

Leonardo quickly showed him one of the lists. "Look—everything stolen on this night was originally from Tochigi. On the next night, relics from Ibaraki were stolen."

Donatello hastily got up and grabbed a book listing regions of Japan from the bookcase. After leafing through it for a brief minute, he shook his head, amazed. "They're systematically going through the prefectures of each region, and in a clockwise pattern. Why didn't I see it sooner?"

Raphael was still trying to watch TV over the heads of the two turtles working in front of him. "I'm stumped, why?" he asked wearily.

Donatello slapped the book shut. "Looks like they're working their way northward through the regions, starting with Chubu. They're still circling the Kanto region, so following the clockwise pattern they'll be out for Chiba artifacts tonight."

Leonardo jumped to his feet. _Finally_. "In that case...I know exactly where they'll strike next."

Michelangelo, who had been sitting next to Raphael quietly reading a comic book all this time, suddenly looked up. "Where's that, dude?" he asked curiously.

The young ninja shook his head. "Forget it. You guys take the night off. I'm handling this alone."

* * *

A week had already passed since Michelangelo came to the animal shelter to warn them about the thefts. Though Usagi had heard that several places nearby had been robbed since then, no one had come near them. Not that he was worried. He was confident he could easily handle a mere thief.

Things were pleasant and calm this morning. The animals were already fed and busy with after meal grooming, and Hyena was at his usual post by the front door. Abruptly he rose to his feet, ears lifting and swiveling intently. A second later there was a soft knock on the door.

Usagi went to answer it, since his master was out at the moment. He had grown used to the startled surprise people reacted with when they first met him, and he opened the door with a friendly smile. "Good day," he greeted, "how can I..."

He trailed off when he saw who was standing on the front steps. "Oh—it's you," he said, pleasantly surprised.

The young lady known as Elizabeth smiled and ducked her head. The morning sunlight caught her hair, setting it ablaze, like strands of red fire. "I hope I'm not dropping by too early," she said softly.

"Oh—no, of course not. Please, come in."

"I wanted to see how Hyena was doing," she explained as Usagi closed the door behind her.

The dog in question was already nuzzling the palm of her hand; she knelt and stroked him affectionately. "I'd take you home with me if I could," she noted with a sigh, "but my apartment has a no pets policy."

Hyena made a grumbling sound; Elizabeth patted him and stood. Usagi gestured a hand to the kitchen. "Tea?" he offered.

"Yes, thank you."

He poured two small cups before joining her at the table. Elizabeth's gaze combed over everything as she sipped, her eyes shining with admiration. "Is our world's Japan similar to where you're from?" she asked, at length.

"Quite a bit similar, actually," he replied with a smile.

"It's good that you were able to find an environment you can feel comfortable in," she noted.

She spoke casually, but something hidden in her voice made Usagi pause mid-sip. He lowered his cup with a small frown. "Are you not comfortable where you are now?" he asked softly.

Elizabeth flushed and lowered her eyes. "I can't say that I'm _uncomfortable_ , but...I can't help wondering sometimes if I wouldn't be happier someplace else."

"Like where?" he wondered, curious because he knew so little about the places of this world.

"I can't really say," said Elizabeth, after thinking about it for a moment. "I've never been anywhere but here. My mother was born in Ireland, though, and..."

She trailed off and ducked her head shyly. "Sorry. You probably don't know where I mean."

"Not exactly," he admitted, "but I would not mind learning about it."

Smiling, Elizabeth set her cup down and began describing the far-off country. Its landscape, its history, its legends. Usagi propped his chin in his hands and listened, swept away by the sound of her gentle voice.

"It sounds lovely," he commented when she finished. "It rather makes me want to see it for myself."

"Me too," the young redhead sighed. "But it's an awfully long way away from here, and traveling that far is expensive."

"A pity, that."

Elizabeth looked down at her empty cup for a moment, then asked quietly, "Do you miss where you're from?"

"Sometimes," he admitted. "Often."

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

He gave her hand a pat. "Do not feel bad. Some would argue that I am better off here. In my home world I was completely alone. Here, I have friends and a home. Although..."

"It's just not the same," Elizabeth finished.

He nodded, his long ears drooping.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"It is all right," he sighed. "After all the time that has passed, I have little hope of ever seeing my world again."

Elizabeth reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. "Whether you ever make it back there or not, I'll be happy to be your friend for as long as you're here."

He smiled softly at her. "Thank you. You are very kind."

She gave his hand another squeeze before letting go. She then glanced at the timepiece on her wrist and frowned. "I should probably..."

She trailed off and gazed into the distance for a moment, thinking. When she looked at Usagi again she smiled knowingly. "On second thought, it can wait. There's something I want to show you."

* * *

It was a long walk from the Far East Animal Society to the garden she liked to visit on her way home from work, but luckily all the time she was spending with Michelangelo was quickly teaching Elizabeth shortcuts that existed underneath the streets. Up above, New York was having a typical Sunday morning; bustling and noisy. The sewers, on the other hand, were always wonderfully quiet. The only sounds were trickles and drips of water, though even down here she could still hear voices in the distance. Rats, mostly.

They had been crossing her path ever since she started coming down here by herself, and like any animal she would chat with them on her way to wherever she was going. Every time she took a shortcut down here the number of rats she encountered seemed to double, each one anxious to find out if it was true that she could actually understand them.

As she and Usagi moved down a dry corridor together she could hear the underground rodents chattering in another tunnel somewhere, but they kept out of sight. When the two of them reached a ladder leading back up to the surface, Elizabeth led the way to the secluded, grassy area above. As they stepped back out into sunlight, Usagi's small black nose twitched. "Something smells familiar," he commented.

"You think so?"

Elizabeth was glad. She had hoped that modern-day Japanese foliage was close to what he knew in his own world. Smiling, she took his hand. "Come on, this way."

She led him to the large fence up ahead, closed and locked up tight by a fancy iron gate. Several chains were wound through the bars and secured with a padlock. The iron fence had decorative spikes on top, but the gate itself was flat and smooth, so while climbing it was a challenge, it wasn't dangerous.

Usagi was looking the gate over warily. "Are we permitted here?" he wondered, a note of suspicion in his voice.

"Not exactly," Elizabeth allowed, "but the owner isn't around right now, so it's a shame for all this beauty to go to waste."

Usagi still looked doubtful. "Where is the owner?"

"In jail. Don't worry, we won't get in trouble. I've been coming here for months."

The look on his face told her that Usagi was still uncertain about this, but he accepted the hand she extended and allowed her to help him over the gate. Not that he needed any; he had hopped up and over and was waiting on the other side before she'd even made it halfway up. Grunting, she hoisted herself to the top—and then her hands slipped and she fell clear over, head-first. She did a full flip and landed on her feet with a thump.

Usagi cocked a brow. "That was...acrobatic," he noted.

Elizabeth managed to nod as she waited for her heart to stop racing. She didn't know which was worse: him thinking she had done that on purpose or by accident, so she brushed herself off and waved a hand to the winding path that stretched out in front of them.

"Go ahead," she urged. "Take a look around."

The furry samurai remained skeptical, but he started down the dry dirt path, his nose twitching again. The path was lined with densely growing trees: Japanese maples, cherry trees, plum trees, and fragrant pines. Lush ferns and other plants and shrubs grew at the base of their trunks. Their combined colors were beautiful; vibrant shades of green, warm browns, proud hues of red and dreamy purples. The air was alive with smells and birdsong, and in the distance was the sound of a trickling stream.

The jailed landowner who built the garden wasn't Japanese, but he had a lot of work-related stress, so he had created this tranquil place complete with waterfalls and koi ponds. The groundskeeper came every morning to feed the koi and keep everything in order, which was why Elizabeth liked to come here after work. Sometimes she came with matches and lit the authentic stone lanterns that were tucked along the paths. When they were lit, they glowed with a soft, golden light and made the garden seem even more magical.

Stretching out across the stream were small wooden footbridges; when they reached one of them, Elizabeth hurried forward and stood at the top of its subtle arch, where she rested her hands on the smooth wood of the railing and inhaled deeply, her eyes scanning her surroundings. "This is my favorite place in all of New York," she declared with a happy sigh.

Beside her, Usagi folded his arms on top of the railing and gazed down at the stream. The sun was shining on the water; Elizabeth thought it looked like a tiny river of liquid gems. "It is all quite lovely," he said in a hushed voice.

Elizabeth smiled at him—and it wasn't until the two of them were standing eye to eye like this did she notice something. Usagi was almost exactly her height. Not counting his ears, there was almost no difference. She had never been around an adult who was so close to her in size before. Even Mikey, who was short so far as human males went, was taller than her. She wasn't sure why, but it made her feel comfortable. Safe.

Unaware of her thoughts, the white rabbit turned to smile at her. "Show me more."

They spent the rest of the morning exploring the enormous garden together. You could practically live here, it was so big. There was plenty of room for a small house...though she had no interest in the immense mansion that stood out front.

When the two of them reached a clearing in the trees, the ground blanketed with soft grass and moss, Elizabeth automatically did what she always did when she came to this spot: she lay back on the grass and gazed up at the sky, framed by the trees swaying and whispering in the gentle wind.

Usagi lay beside her, hands folded on his chest. "Thank you for bringing me here," he told her softly.

She smiled, her eyes still on the clouds. "You're very welcome."

Elizabeth would have been happy to lay there for a while longer, but her stomach suddenly rumbled so hard she winced. "I guess that means it's lunchtime," she commented, giggling in embarrassment.

Lunchtime...

She sat up quickly, a cold chill passing through her. She had left to visit the animal shelter first thing this morning with the intention of heading straight back home afterward, knowing that Michelangelo would be showing up soon to spend her day off with her. She had completely lost track of time and now he was probably waiting on the front steps that very second, wondering just where the heck she disappeared to.

Usagi noticed her frown and got to his feet as she hopped up. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just...forgot I have something I need to do."

"Oh."

His face fell. Elizabeth hastily reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Hey, you don't have to leave just because I am," she assured him. "You can come and go whenever you want. You don't have to wait for me."

"I still feel funny about not having permission to be here," he said, though she could tell by the look in his bright blue eyes that he couldn't wait to come back.

"When the owner comes back, I'll be sure to ask, first thing," she promised.

She wasn't looking forward to when the owner became a free man again, because she already knew what kind of answer she was going to get from a cranky guy who liked his privacy. But the last she had heard, he wasn't due to be released for another few months, so there was still a little time left to enjoy this place.

"I had better go," she said, feeling both eager and reluctant to leave.

"We will meet again, I am sure," Usagi told her with a smile.

Elizabeth took one last look around before saying goodbye and hurrying home.

* * *

After pacing in front of Elizabeth's apartment building for an hour or so, Michelangelo parked himself on the front steps, where he fidgeted impatiently. He'd already scaled the building and peeked in the windows of apartment 107. The pretty redhead wasn't home. She didn't tell him before they said goodbye yesterday that she was going out today, so all he could do was wait for her to come back.

When she finally appeared, racing down the sidewalk with her hair trailing behind her like curls of flame, he leaped to his feet and jumped to the bottom of the steps.

"Where in the world have you b—"

His sentence was cut short as Elizabeth banged into him, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm sorry I'm late," she cried when she broke away again. "I had an errand to run and it took longer than I thought it would."

She gazed at him from beneath her lush eyelashes. "I'm so sorry, it won't happen again—promise. Don't be mad at me. Please?"

Her arms tightened and she kissed him again. When she finally let go, he felt a little light-headed and almost wobbled on his feet. "I'm not mad at you," he said absently. "I could never be mad at you."

The lovely girl beamed, hooked her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder. "So...where do you want to go first? I'm yours for the rest of the day."

Michelangelo felt his heart soar as he gripped her hand and held it tight. "Just for today?" he said softly. "I'm hoping it's much, much longer."

* * *

Leonardo spent that afternoon plotting out his strategy. In the end, he decided to keep his approach simple. He had easily identified the place that would most likely be hit next, since it housed a large collection of pottery from Chiba. The owner had agreed to go out tonight, presenting a seemingly easy target. Leonardo was going to lie in wait inside, and then...

It felt like forever before the sun finally started to go down. When at last it began its trek to the horizon, bathing the shop with red-orange light, it felt like hours more before that light was gone and the city was blanketed in darkness.

Not that a city like this was ever truly dark, but the back of the tiny shop he was hiding in was full of deep shadows, which made his—and the thief's—job even easier. He waited, crouched behind one of the containers for the pottery, until he sensed another presence enter the room.

They moved without a sound and he could barely see them, even after his sharp eyes spotted movement in the darkness. If he hadn't known someone was coming, he never would have noticed. His body tensed, but he continued to wait, watching from his hiding place as the figure slowly moved across the room, heading straight to the largest container. There was a creak as it was opened—followed by an angry exclamation.

The container, like all the rest of them, was empty. At Leonardo's instruction the owner had moved the items before leaving for the night. The figure whirled, knowing they had been set up, but it was too late; Leonardo had already bolted from hiding. Lightning-fast, he shot his hand out and ripped off the mask hiding the thief's face. Long black hair spilled free. Dark eyes blazed at him through the shadows.

With a sigh, Leonardo let the mask fall to the floor. "I knew it. I knew it was you."


	6. Desire and Betrayal

"Let me guess," Leonardo said in a defeated tone. "Someone really rich is paying you millions to steal all this."

The thief hadn't moved since he pulled her mask off, but he could tell by the tension in her frame that she was ready to bolt—or fight—at any second.

"Precisely," was the cool response.

"You know I can't let you continue this."

"I advise that you do not try to stop me."

The young turtle released a heavy, remorse-filled sigh. "Lotus..."

He slowly reached out a hand and gripped her arm. She tensed even more but didn't pull away. "You don't need to do this."

Even in the darkness, he could see her expression turn hard. Cold. "And how would you know what I do and do not need?" she demanded icily. "You, who has a family and a home to run to when you are in need. I have no one to rely on but myself."

She spoke harshly, but Leonardo could hear what was hidden beneath her words. Loneliness, despair, regret. His heart ached for her.

"But that's not true," he whispered. "You have—"

With a low growl, she seized the wrist of the hand he still had on her arm and flipped him clear over her shoulder. He hit the wooden floor with a sharp bang, sliding on his shell until he bumped into the wall. By the time he picked himself up, he was alone.

* * *

Donatello was getting ready for bed when he heard Leonardo stomp into the lair. He peeked through the living room doorway and watched as their leader slumped, sullen, on the couch. "I take it your stakeout didn't go too well."

Leonardo shot him a look of death; the young scientist sheepishly went back to brushing his teeth. He had just finished when Raphael breezed by, stretching his arms and yawning noisily. "I'm beat, so I'm going to hit the sack," he announced.

Instead of getting ready for bed, Michelangelo was sitting at the kitchen table, chin propped in his hands and a dreamy look on his face. "I want to see Lizzie again," he sighed.

Raphael stopped and looked at him strangely. "You just got back from spending the whole stinking day with her," he pointed out.

"So?" the hyper turtle asked seriously. He got up with an oddly smug expression. "Maybe she wants me to kiss her goodnight...again."

Raphael started to laugh. "Yeah, right..."

"Uh, I think he means it," said Donatello dryly as he watched his brother swagger out of the room, still wearing that smug expression.

The red-clad ninja beside him quit laughing and stared. "No way."

Michelangelo stuck his head back into the room to smirk at them. "Way, dude."

* * *

Elizabeth finished drying her hair, switched off the light and left the bathroom. Today had been so much fun; she and Mikey had spent hours at their favorite park together. They had sat on a bench and ate ice cream, then took a boat ride out on the pond. When the sun started to set, they went up to the rooftops, where they cuddled and watched the stars come out.

The young girl let out a rapturous sigh as she moved into the kitchen. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so happy. She smiled down at Frederick, who was asleep in his bed next to the fridge. It was actually a cat bed, but it suited the large rat just fine. He mostly used it for naps, and she had no doubt that once she went to bed, he would soon be jumping up and snuggling next to her pillow.

As she switched off the kitchen light, there was a soft knock on the front door. Wondering who could be stopping by so late, she tiptoed by the light still on above the front door and peeked through the peephole. To her surprise, she saw a mutant turtle standing out in the hallway, smiling and waving.

"I thought you usually come in through the window," Elizabeth said wryly as she opened the door.

Michelangelo flashed a playful grin. "Yeah, well, I didn't want to scare you."

Elizabeth leaned her cheek against the edge of the door as she looked at him. She was glad to see him—even if they had only just said goodbye an hour or so ago—but having him here so late, just the two of them...it made her heart thump nervously.

"So...did you need something?" she asked shyly.

The sweet reptile glanced down at his toes. "Not exactly. I just..."

He raised his eyes to hers again. "I missed you."

She smiled at that. "We spent almost the entire day together," she reminded him.

"I know, but..."

He trailed off, like he had spotted something that grabbed his attention. "I've never seen your hair down like this before."

She had just taken a shower, so her hair was still loose. Suddenly feeling self-conscious of her knee-length curls, she absently fingered a clump that was lying across her shoulder. "You don't mind, do you?"

Mikey didn't have any hair, so maybe he didn't really like it—especially not so much.

"Mind?" he echoed, sounding surprised. "Why would I mind?"

He reached out and slipped his fingers into the curls that framed her face. "It's beautiful."

Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm. He didn't outright say 'just like you,' but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was thinking it. His gaze roamed her face; he was so close she could feel his breath. There was only one thing to do now. She put her hands on his shell, urged him closer and kissed him.

Fingers still tangled in her hair, Michelangelo wrapped her in his arms, holding her protectively to him. His body felt warm from the late summer air; she drifted her hands over his arms, enjoying the feel of the contours of his firm muscles, which bulged as he tightened his hold on her. Sighing in pleasure, Elizabeth rested against him.

Slowly, he took a few steps forward, moving out of the hall and into her apartment, and nudged the door shut with his foot. Their mouths never broke apart, continuing to glide, to caress. His broad, three-fingered hands moved up and down her back and over her sides; with a soft moan of appreciation, Elizabeth reached up to stroke the sensitive flesh along his shoulders and neck.

They finally broke apart for air, cheeks flushed. The handsome turtle smiled at her, his eyes brimming with affection—and then his gaze dropped lower. His eyes widened and his grip on her loosened.

Elizabeth looked down too—and saw that her robe had slipped open. Not completely, but enough to give a pretty good idea what she looked like underneath. Blushing furiously, she tugged it shut again and held it in place. Michelangelo swallowed nervously.

"Umm...what are you wearing under that?"

She blushed harder. "Nothing," she admitted.

Michelangelo reddened. "Umm," he said again, "I should probably, uh, go."

"Yeah," Elizabeth sighed, still clutching her robe. "I have work in the morning."

"So...see you first thing after?"

She smiled and nodded. "I can't wait."

* * *

Leonardo didn't sleep that night. He couldn't believe how careless he had been. He'd let her go...again. He had little hope of ever finding her now. After tossing and turning in bed for hours, he finally gave up and went to the surface to clear his head. He sat on a rooftop and watched the city below as he repeated what had happened over and over in his mind.

He should have done it differently. He shouldn't have grabbed her like that. Or maybe...

Maybe he should have grabbed even harder. Maybe he should have pulled her close and held her tight. Maybe that would have said more to her than his feeble words had.

Too late now. She wouldn't be foolish enough to strike again. She had probably already told her employer that her work was finished, even if it meant taking a loss. There was no way he could track her down again.

Unless...

Unless he didn't look for her directly. Maybe he was going about this the wrong way. Maybe, just maybe, he could find who hired her instead. It would take time to deliver that many pieces...maybe he still had a chance. If he could figure out where they were closing the deal at...

He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

* * *

"I'm worried about Leonardo," Donatello told the others at breakfast the next morning. "He's been acting really tense lately."

The turtle in question wasn't home right now, having already been gone by the time the rest of them got up, so they discussed their leader openly.

"He's riled up about the thefts," said Raphael, shrugging. "He's really bent on stopping them. It's like he's taking it all personally."

"I know. That's why I'm worried."

Michelangelo was happily munching his breakfast pizza with a dreamy look on his face, completely oblivious to their conversation. Donatello glanced at him and felt a twinge of envy; he'd had that same look on his face ever since he met Elizabeth. She had to be one special girl, if she was willing to chuck normalcy and date a mutant turtle. Too bad she didn't have a sister or two.

The rest of the day passed slowly—or at least it did for Michelangelo, who was anxiously waiting for nightfall so he could meet Elizabeth after she got off work. And then, almost right at the stroke of noon, the three of them got the shock of the year.

The Neutrinos dropped by for a visit.

* * *

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth swam deeper underwater, kicking her feet rapidly to propel herself. Mac swam beside her, eliciting a series of squeaks and squeals that sounded muffled to her water-filled ears. When it was just the two of them hidden deep below the surface, the sound and feel of bubbles churning in their wake, she felt a peaceful joy that couldn't get any better—unless it was actually Mikey swimming beside her, that is. She imagined that she would enjoy swimming with him very much.

When her training session with Mac ended she climbed out of the tank and started drying off, her heart already eagerly looking forward to her workday ending. Because afterward she would get to spend the rest of the evening and most of the night with the one who had come to mean so much to her.

She had never gotten so close to someone before. Neither of them had said it yet, but she already knew, deep down, just what she felt for him, and he for her. It made her heart race with joy every time she thought about it. At last—for the first time in her life—she felt like she had a place where she belonged, even if she only belonged to one being. She had come to realize that when it all came down to it, that was all anyone needed.

"Hey, freak," a harsh voice called out, slicing into her thoughts like a jagged knife. "Where's your ugly green bodyguard?"

Elizabeth stopped blotting her face and glared at Eric as he came, unwelcome, into the room with her. "He'll be here," she snapped, feeling bold for once. Mikey would always be there to protect her from jerks like Eric. Just thinking about him made her feel safe.

"You'd better get out of here before he shows up," she warned. "He let you off easy last time."

Eric ignored her warning. He moved closer, sneering. "You're really pathetic, you know," he told her hatefully. "You can't fit in with your own kind, so you're trying to worm your way in with a bunch of other freaks. I wonder what you'll do when it turns out they don't want you either?"

Once upon a time, words like that might have stung. Today she just smiled, knowing that she was more than wanted. It didn't matter what Michelangelo was; all she cared about was who he was. And he was the most special, kind, all around wonderful being she ever met.

"Just give it up, Blaine. You can't have me. You don't hate me because I'm different—you don't even know _how_ I'm different—you hate me because I'm the only woman you've ever met who wouldn't touch you if her life depended on it."

Eric's eyes blazed. With a furious growl, he lunged for her, but Elizabeth had been anticipating something like that and dodged out of the way as he made a grab for her. Realizing his mistake, he tried to stop himself, but momentum sent him stumbling and falling face-first into the training tank.

When he bobbed back to the surface, sputtering and swearing, Mac popped up behind him. "You're nasty," he scolded frankly, and shot towards him like a rocket. Eric squealed like a frightened little girl and paddled away.

As he reached the side and hauled himself out of the water, Elizabeth heard footsteps approaching behind her. She turned around and found herself face to face with the head aquarist—AKA the big boss. He was frowning hard.

"You saw her!" Eric hollered, face red with rage as he wiped water out of his eyes. "You saw her attack me with your own eyes!"

"Attack?" Elizabeth echoed in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."

Her boss shook his head. "Pushing someone into a tank with a potentially dangerous animal is serious business, Miss Cassidy, especially a non-trainer. I've overlooked the complaints about your spying and rumor-spreading, but this..."

Stunned, Elizabeth felt herself go pale. Spying? Rumor-spreading? This was the first she'd of this, and she spun and glared at Eric, who was grinning in triumph. "You didn't."

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," the man in charge said, his tone regretful. "You're the best trainer we've ever had, but I'm going to have to let you go."

The words hit her like a knife to the heart. "You can't," she pleaded, her voice faint. "You can't take me away from them."

Her boss looked at her oddly, as if torn between comforting her and just walking away. He glanced at Eric, then turned and started for the door. "I'm sorry," he said again. "Please get your things and leave the premises. And while I'm not going to bring up any legal matters, I recommend you stay away from here from now on."

He left. Eric brushed past her, beaming like the sun. "That's what you get for crossing me."

When she was alone again, Elizabeth sank to her knees. Tears spilled freely from her eyes and down her face. This couldn't be happening. They couldn't be taking her away from them. The animals needed her. They weren't going to understand it if she just up and left them.

Choking back a sob, she crawled to the edge of the tank. "Mac," she called, her voice cracking.

Mac swam over obediently. He immediately noticed her pain. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I-I have to go," she faltered.

Just a baby or not, he could tell right away that she wasn't saying goodbye until tomorrow morning. "You're coming back, aren't you?" he asked fearfully.

Elizabeth shook her head and choked back another sob. "I can't. It's hard to explain why—I don't ever want to go and leave you, but they're forcing me to. I have to do what they say and not come back."

"But you have to," cried Mac, sounding close to tears himself.

It was so hard to explain the pettiness of this situation to someone so young. And young or not, animals didn't need to worry about someone pressing charges if they showed their face at work after being fired for allegedly trying to hurt a coworker.

But she couldn't bring herself to say that they would never see each other again. "I'll come back if I possibly can," she whispered. "I'll do anything to see you again—and remember that even if I'm not here anymore, I still love you."

She reached out and hugged his large face as her sobs broke free. She cried and held him for as long as she dared before forcing herself to let go and leave the room. She showered, gathered her things and left.

The sun was just starting to set as she hurried down the front steps. That meant Michelangelo would be on his way to take her to dinner soon. She was still in tears and couldn't stand being out in public right now, surrounded by nosy stares—in her pain it felt like dozens of eyes were burning into her—but she still wanted to see him. She wanted to see him more than anything. Being in his arms was just the comfort she needed. Wiping her eyes and sniffling, she hurried to the nearest access point to the sewers.

* * *

After they all exchanged a surprised round of greetings, Raphael promptly ran off with Dask and Zak. Donatello stuck around the lair, watching as Michelangelo and Kala cuddled together on the couch and watched a movie. The quick-minded turtle knew this wasn't going to end well, and judging by the conflicted look on Michelangelo's face, he knew it too.

Donatello's first question for the trio had been why they had lost touch for so long. The laughing reply was that they had been so busy having fun lately they sort of forgot to visit. With the carefree attitude they always possessed, they had come to pick up right where things had left off the last time they dropped by—Kala included.

As the day wore on, Donatello could practically see his brother's heart being split in two. When the petite blond ran up and hugged Michelangelo, it was obvious that his feelings for her, while long put aside and forgotten, were still as strong as ever. Only now his heart was also full of affection for Elizabeth. The internal struggle he was dealing with was downright painful to watch.

When the sun started to go down, Donatello found himself remembering that old saying: trouble always comes in threes. First the thefts, and now this. He wondered, cringing, what the third and final trouble would be.

He didn't have to wait long to find out.

Michelangelo and Kala were still snuggled on the couch, watching a romantic movie with their arms around each other, when Elizabeth suddenly walked into the lair. It only took a quick glance to figure out she just had one of the worst days of her life. Her eyes were dry but red and puffy from crying, and her pretty face was tired and drawn as she forced a brave smile. Like she didn't want to bring the rest of them down with her problems. Donatello's heart broke for her when her gaze fell on the pair cuddling on the couch.

When Michelangelo noticed her he turned a sickly shade of pale green as he lumbered to his feet, while Kala got up and looked the stranger over curiously. "Who's this?" she asked.

While the turtle beside her fumbled for an answer, Elizabeth watched the two of them in silence. Her colorless face had gone deadpan, not showing any hint of what she was feeling...but she wasn't able to keep her pain out of her eyes. Her eyes belonged to a girl whose heart had just shattered.

Michelangelo finally found his tongue. "Kala," he began, faltering, "this is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Kala. She's visiting us from Dimension X."

Elizabeth nodded once, though Donatello couldn't tell if she knew what he was talking about or just didn't care. "Nice to meet you. I'm...just a friend. You two probably have a lot of catching up to do, so I'll be going."

She glanced at the purple-clad turtle silently watching all this as she turned to leave, and as she absently lifted a hand in farewell, the look in her eyes cut at his heart. When she turned and ran out of their home, he knew deep down that she was never coming back.


	7. From Bad to Worse

Elizabeth didn't think anything could hurt more than being sent away in shame from the job she loved so much. That was nothing compared to the agony now searing through her heart. Seeing the one she had grown to care about so deeply wrapped in the arms of someone else...

"I thought he loved me," she sobbed as she ran blindly through the streets. "I'm a fool. I'm such a _fool_!"

Eric had been right after all. She didn't belong with mutant reptiles any more than she belonged with her own kind. She'd been so stupid, giving her heart away so freely and easily like that. When her mother died she quickly learned there was no else she could trust, except herself.

Too late to remember that now, now that she had lost everything she had to lose. No job meant no money, and no money meant no apartment. It was only a matter of time before she wound up on the streets. And there wasn't a soul she could turn to for help.

It started to rain right after she ran out of the sewers, but she barely noticed. She just kept running, not caring where she was going or where she ended up. Not until she suddenly slowed to a stop and looked around, realizing she was on an unfamiliar street. She'd gone and gotten herself lost...terrific. All she needed now was to be jumped by someone or get run over and her life would be complete.

As if on cue, there was suddenly a sharp squealing sound behind her. Whirling in the middle of the street, she was blinded by white light. She realized in horror that she was staring into a set of headlights. The driver was trying to swerve in the rain to avoid hitting her; the car's tires squealed like some tortured animal.

At the last second Elizabeth regained her wits and dove out of the way. She landed on her side against the curb with a crack that sent fiery pain shooting through her midsection. Great. Now she had a broken heart _and_ broken ribs.

The tires were still squealing. There was a crunch, followed by the shriek of metal scraping against pavement. Elizabeth lifted her head and saw the car had flipped on its side. It slid across the slick pavement mere feet from her, bounced up the curb and came to a stop when it hit the side of a building, the front end crumpling like an accordion. All at once the empty street went still, the quiet patter of the gentle rainfall and the hum of the straining car engine the only sounds.

For a long moment Elizabeth could only stare. The entire day had felt like a nightmare, and this end to her miserable night felt even more unreal. She slowly pushed herself to her feet and moved closer to the ruined vehicle, her eyes drawn to the cab. "Are you all right?" she called weakly.

No one answered. Frightened for the driver's safety, she kept moving forward on her numbs legs, until she was standing close enough to see inside through the cracked windshield. The front seat was empty. She sagged in relief; the driver must have jumped to safety before the car flipped over. _At least one thing went right today,_ she thought weakly.

And then the engine exploded.

* * *

"We'll drop by again soon," Zak promised as the trio said goodbye and left.

"Yeah," Raphael muttered after they were gone. "As soon as we happen to cross your busy minds."

Michelangelo was sitting slumped at the kitchen table, face buried in his hands. "Did you see the way Lizzie looked at me?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

Donatello nodded mutely. He had seen it all, and his heart ached for them both. Splinter was quietly cleaning up after their busy afternoon while keeping an eye on his heartbroken son with a sad frown.

"I screwed up so bad," the stricken turtle went on, his voice cracking. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"

"For what?" asked Raphael sarcastically. "Ripping her heart out for a game of hacky sack?"

Michelangelo let his head drop to the table top with a thump. Donatello nudged the red-clad turtle with a hard frown. "Quit it. He feels bad enough."

"I should have told her about Kala," Michelangelo whispered, his voice thick with tears.

"Did you tell Kala about Elizabeth?" asked Raphael.

Michelangelo sniffled and shook his head, still pressed to the table. "No."

"You two-timing rat—oops. Sorry."

Splinter narrowed his eyes at him, then went over and rested a comforting hand on the sniffling turtle's shoulder. "Matters of the heart are not an area any of you are familiar with. You are bound to make many mistakes."

"That's no excuse," Michelangelo insisted as he lifted his head, his eyes full of tears. "My mistake hurt someone else."

Donatello knew he had a point. As badly as his brother felt right now, Elizabeth definitely felt worse. He doubted she would, as Michelangelo wondered, ever forgive him. Just like he doubted any of them would ever see her again.

* * *

Tracking down who hired Lotus turned out to be easier than Leonardo thought it would be. Thugs in the underworld were buzzing about some rich new guy in town, someone who had big plans to build a collection of artifacts from every major country on the planet. After snaring and not so gently pumping a few thugs for information, he soon had this mystery man's address.

He owned multiple homes, but right now he was staying at a super-swanky hotel as he closed his deal with Lotus. From what Leonardo had heard, he had rented out half the top floor for the occasion. When he scaled up the side of the hotel in question and peered through a window, Leonardo saw that Lotus was already inside, standing in the middle of a room with gaudy decorations and red velvet carpet. There was a slew of Japanese artifacts at her feet.

Sitting across from her and the collection was a middle-aged man with graying hair and dressed in an expensive suit. His face was still youthful and handsome, but there was something cruel in his otherwise calm eyes. He was seated in a chair fit for a king and sipping from a glass of wine.

"This isn't everything I asked you for," Leonardo heard him say.

Lotus was standing with her back to the window, but he could just imagine the strained look on her face (she hated admitting defeat) as she bowed in regret. "I apologize," she said, "but I was seen. I will not be able to acquire the remaining pieces you requested."

The man took another sip. "That's a fancy way of saying you screwed up," he noted.

Lotus bristled, but she kept quiet. The man drained his glass, set it down on a pricey-looking end table and stood. His movements were fluid. "You realize, of course, this means I can't pay you the price we originally agreed on."

The prideful female ninja lowered her head. "Yes."

Her employer swept his gaze over the collection of objects before focusing on her. The look on his face as his eyes trailed over her from head to toe made Leonardo tense up and press closer to the window. "I'm disappointed," he sighed. "And I don't like being disappointed."

"I am sorry," said Lotus, "but there is nothing more I can do."

"Oh, no?"

The man reached out and gripped her chin, lifting her face. "You're very pretty...I'm sure we can work something out."

Outside, Leonardo's grip on the stone window ledge grew so tight he was surprised it didn't crack. A second or two ticked by—and then Lotus slapped her employer's hand away sharply. "No. We will not."

With a furious scowl, the rich man massaged his hand. "Aren't you honor bound to do whatever I ask?" he demanded

"I most certainly am not. Not to the likes of you."

Snarling now, the man reached into his designer jacket and withdrew a handgun. "We'll just see about that," he said smoothly, as he leveled the barrel at Lotus' chest.

Leonardo couldn't stand it any longer. Teeth gritted, he reached up to grip the top of the window, kicked off the side of the hotel and burst through the window glass, feet-first. He hit the velvet carpet at a roll, stopping as soon as he was close enough to kick the weapon out of its astonished owner's hand.

He had a katana drawn before he had finished standing, and he casually rested the tip of it against the gawking figure's throat. "Have a seat," he instructed coolly.

His face twisted in rage, but the rich man stepped back and sat down slowly. Ever prepared, Lotus produced a length of rope and tied her ex-employer to his throne-like seat.

Leonardo put his katana away as he scanned the room. "I'm sure the police will love to get a look at this stuff. You have a phone around here, right?"

He wasn't expecting Lotus to follow him as he went into the next room, but she did. "I will not stay here and be taken to jail," she told him sharply after he'd made a quick phone call to the authorities. But when he turned around and looked at her, he could tell by the look behind her dark eyes that she was grateful he showed up.

"I'm not trying to get you locked up," he said quietly. "I'm just trying to get these things back to their proper owners. Which means," he added, "I can't let you keep anything to sell to somebody else. I can't let you take whatever he planned to pay you, either."

Her face hardened. "Then you leave me with nothing."

His gaze turned imploring as he looked into her eyes. "Why do you have to do this?" he asked seriously.

"Why does it matter to you?" she countered.

The young turtle faltered, but he held her gaze. "You know why."

Lotus looked at him hard, as if she was trying to make him shrivel up with her eyes alone. Abruptly she turned away; he quickly grabbed her shoulder. "I know you haven't forgotten what I offered you once," he said gently. "I make that same offer again...and more."

Her muscles pulled tight beneath his hand. "If you care for me at all," she whispered hoarsely, "you will let me go."

Leonardo hesitated for a long minute, knowing what would happen as soon as he let go. But he knew he had to, no matter how much he didn't want to. So as painful as it was to do it, he slowly uncurled his fingers and pulled his hand away.

Lotus fled quicker than a shadow retreating from the sun. With his heart heavy in his chest, the tired reptile turned and went quietly out into the night.

* * *

When Elizabeth woke up, she had a splitting headache. There was also a throbbing in her side, and her headache was centered sharply between her eyes. Groaning quietly, she opened them slowly, but wherever she was it was completely dark. She couldn't see a thing.

There was the sound of movement somewhere close by. Confused and frightened, she sat up—and lay back down again in a hurry as she felt like an ice pick had just been stabbed into her forehead. "Who's there?" she called weakly.

She heard more movement, like dozens of tiny feet on a concrete floor. As her awareness slowly grew, it dawned on her that that was probably what she was lying on, it was so cold and hard.

Something moved near her right hand. "It's me," a soft voice said.

Elizabeth's heart flooded with relief—and surprise. "Frederick?"

A soft, cold nose touched her palm. "The one and only. I was watching out the window earlier tonight and saw you run by. I could tell you were really upset and I got worried, so...I snuck out and followed you. I eventually found you passed out in the street next to a car in flames."

It was all coming back to her now. Eric. Getting fired. Mikey. Her heart breaking. The car crash, the explosion. Wincing, she felt her face, her hands, her arms and legs, but everything was fine except for her ribs. Nothing else was broken and she didn't have any burns. Her head was still swimming, so she didn't try to get up just yet.

Hesitantly, she stretched a hand out in the darkness; Frederick quickly pressed his head into it. She couldn't see him, but being able to feel him was a comfort, and she stroked his head as she felt her surroundings with her other senses.

She could hear the drip of water, the faint rumble of a subway train somewhere in the distance. And there were whispers. More whispers than she had ever heard in one place before, as if hundreds of creatures were clustered somewhere nearby, deeply involved in some secret conference. The air was almost as cold as the ground she was lying on. A shiver ran through her.

"Where are we?" she asked in a whisper.

Frederick shifted beneath her hand. When he answered, he spoke in a quiet, regretful voice. "I'm afraid I'm not the only one who found you."

Elizabeth squinted in his direction, trying to make him out as she continued to pet him, but it was no use. "I don't understand," she said, her voice scratchy and weak. "Where..."

A noisy patter of feet suddenly drew near, all of them heading her way. Elizabeth held her breath as she listened to them circle around her—then let it out slowly as she relaxed. They were just rats. "Hello?" she ventured uncertainly. "I'm, uh, sorry to drop in on you like this."

Frederick suddenly moved away from her hand. A dozen foreign noses took his place, sniffing and nuzzling her palm and fingers. "Hello," she said again, forcing a smile. She felt around and was soon petting a pair of soft ears. "Can you guys tell me where I am?"

"We could," said a male voice, higher-pitched than Frederick's. "But you wouldn't understand us."

Elizabeth smiled again. "Of course I understand you."

She heard a startled squeak. The feet surrounding her scurried away. Elizabeth breathed a sigh. "Great."

"It gets worse," said Frederick quietly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked Elizabeth, her patience wearing thin. "I just had the worst day of my life, so I'm in no mood for..."

She trailed off. Footsteps were approaching—heavy ones. Had to be a man, and a pretty big one, too. Her heart started to thump as fear tightened her throat. She wanted to bolt up, but it was so dark and her body felt so heavy and tired, all she could do was lift her throbbing head. "Who...?"

The footsteps drew closer. Boots scraped the floor as their owner came to stand beside her. She could feel someone looking down at her, and she squinted in the heavy darkness as she tried desperately to see who it was.

"Good," a deep voice said. "You're finally awake."

Elizabeth felt her heart stop for a second. She had never heard such a strange voice before. It sounded like it was trying to be pleased, soothing, and reassuring all at once. And yet, for reasons she didn't know but was sure she'd hate to find out, it sent chills through her.

She swallowed—once, twice—then asked, "Who are you? Why did you bring me here?"

Her words came out a pathetic squeak. There was a shifting sound, and when the voice spoke again, it was closer to her than before. She squinted again and pictured the speaker kneeling down next to her. "Don't be afraid. You're among friends here."

A hand touched her face, almost making her jerk in surprise. It was cold and unpleasant, but it was definitely a human hand. And why would she be expecting something else...?

Her foggy head swirled around in confusion for a minute—and then it hit her. She was in the sewers. From the smell of it, she had been taken deeper than she had ever gone before. But the being next to her was definitely a human and not a mutant turtle, or any other kind of mutant. What kind of a person would be lurking this deep in the sewers?

Even with her head still spinning, she didn't need to think long to know the answer to that one: a crazy person.

She was all alone and trapped somewhere in the sewers with a crazy person. For a second she thought about screaming at the top of her lungs, but who was going to hear her this far underground? As frightened tears filled her eyes, she wondered distantly if Frederick was still around or if he had taken off.

The hand suddenly shifted against her cheek, like it was cupping to catch her tears. "Hey, don't do that," said the voice.

Fingers snapped. "Bring water—now."

Elizabeth continued to cry silently as more tiny feet scampered to and fro. Was she going to die? She couldn't imagine there being any reason to bring someone all the way down here other than to make it easy to dispose of the body.

Feet circled around her again, and the hand cupped the back of her head, lifting her until she was partly sitting up. Something cold and smooth—a glass—was pressed to her lips. "Here, drink this."

She tried to obey, but the water that sloshed into her mouth was brackish and foul, and she spit most of it back up as she gagged. Coughing and sobbing, she rolled onto her good side and curled up in a ball. To her relief, she felt Frederick nuzzle her cheek; she would know that nose anywhere.

The clammy hand rested on her back, cold even through the fabric of her shirt. "You should rest. I'll find a way to make you more comfortable as soon as possible."

 _I'll bet_ , she thought bitterly, imagining the hole he would dig in the ground for her.

Looking back at everything that led up to her being brought down here, she wondered if she should have known something like this would happen to her eventually. That someday, somehow, she would inevitably end up in some black, horrible place, where someone lay in wait to gleefully snuff out her life.

It never crossed her mind before, but now that the reality of it was looking her right in the face, it was kind of hard not to. Naturally, the first person who popped into her head when she pictured someone out to get her was Eric. Better a total stranger who didn't know or hate her personally than _him_ , she thought crazily.

Shivering and crying, she hugged herself tightly and started wondering how it was all going to end. She sure hoped he made it quick.

Frederick nuzzled her cheek again. "Don't be scared," he told her gently. "He's not going to hurt you."

"How do you know?" she sniffled. "And who is he, anyway?"

"Me?" said the voice.

Her heart stopped. She thought he left, but he was still in the room with her. She silently scolded herself for crying instead of listening.

"Didn't you know? I am The Rat King."


	8. The Rat Queen

Michelangelo was afraid that Elizabeth was never going to forgive him, but he still wanted to apologize. To let her know how sorry he was. He'd been stupid—he should have told her he already sort of had a girlfriend, but he didn't know if he'd ever see her again, or if she even cared about him anymore, and...

"And I've completely fallen for you," he sighed as he mounted the steps to her apartment building first thing the next morning.

He considered buzzing to let her know he was here, but then decided against it, in case she didn't want to see him right now and refused to unlock the door. So instead he scaled the side of the building and climbed in through her bedroom window. It was empty, and her bed looked like it hadn't been slept in. The sight made a lump form in his throat. She probably spent the whole night crying her eyes out.

Her apartment was small, so he only had to search for a few minutes before he came to the conclusion that no one was home. Frederick was gone, too. It was too early for Elizabeth to have left for work already and he couldn't imagine her taking the large rat with her—unless she was so upset she decided to skip it today.

After thinking for a minute about where else she might be, Michelangelo quickly left the apartment and hurried to their favorite park.

* * *

The Rat King. Hearing that name made Elizabeth's stomach drop out. She knew exactly who he was—who in New York didn't? The guy had only tried to conquer the world a few dozen times or so. So what did a lunatic like that want with _her_? She wasn't worth any ransom, that was for sure.

But he hadn't hurt her yet, so she had the tiniest hope that maybe he wasn't going to.

"Why..."

Her voice cracked and snagged in her throat. She thumped her chest and tried again. "Why is it so dark?" she asked timidly.

"Dark?"

Her abductor sounded confused. "I had lamps brought in for you. It isn't dark."

Elizabeth's throat seized up again. That couldn't be true...it just couldn't. She was strong enough to sit up now, and she held her hand close to her eyes and squinted, but she couldn't make out even the vaguest outline of her own fingers.

The clammy hand suddenly gripped her chin, making her gasp in surprise. Her head was turned, and she felt the Rat King lean so close his breath touched her face. She fought the urge to wrinkle her nose. His breath stank.

He made an unhappy sound and let go. "That explosion must have blinded you," he said. "A shame, but...no matter. I don't need you to see."

Elizabeth clutched a hand to her throat. Her heart was racing in fear. "What..."

She swallowed with difficulty. "What do you need me for?"

The Rat King chuckled, again sounding surprised as he answered. Like it was obvious. "Why, for companionship, of course. When I saw how much you love this one, I knew you were perfect."

Frederick moved closer to her and rested his chin on her lap. "He means me," he sighed.

Elizabeth automatically looked down at him, even though all she could see was blackness.

"And my own subjects, too," her insane host went on. "I don't know how, but you can understand every last one of them. I've been watching you for a while now, sending test after test, and you never failed to speak to them."

Elizabeth dully thought back on all the trips she took through the sewers over the last week or so. How she had always paused, gladly, to chat with the rats that showed up. She started to grow dizzy again; if she had only known...

A shiver ran through her. She unconsciously hugged herself. "When you say companionship..."

"I intend to make you my queen. Even I need someone to rule with."

Elizabeth burst into laughter and tears at the same time. Hysterical, she curled up on the cold floor again. After staying silent for a second or two, the Rat King said, "Our queen is distressed. Come—we must make her more comfortable."

He left, a legion of tiny feet following. Alone now except for Frederick, Elizabeth cried bitterly, until she didn't have a single tear left to shed. Then she dried her eyes and sat up again, wondering in despair how she was going to face whatever her future held.

She didn't have any other choice. Now that she was blind, she wasn't going to be able to find a way to escape. And she had no hope of calling for help. Sure, the turtles lived in the sewers too, but they weren't going to come looking for her if they didn't know she was here. And after what happened, they would probably be relieved when she didn't come back to create more drama.

No one was going to notice or care when she didn't show up for work, since she had just been fired and banned from the aquarium. None of her fellow trainers had ever felt comfortable enough to make friends with her, and she couldn't say she really knew any of her neighbors. No one was going to come looking for her—if anyone even noticed that she was gone.

No doubt about it. All the cards had fallen the Rat King's way. Whatever happened from here on out...she was his now.

* * *

Michelangelo spent the entire day searching for Elizabeth. He looked in every place he could think of, every place the two of them ever spent time together. When the sun started to set and he had nothing to show for his long search, he finally trudged back home, where he flopped onto the couch in a dejected heap.

"I couldn't find her," he mumbled, the lump that had been in his throat all day threatening to form again.

"She probably doesn't want you to find her," Raphael told him. "I bet she's at a friend's house right now, crying and eating ice cream while she complains about what a jerk her ex-boyfriend is."

"Give it a few days," Donatello advised. "She'll turn up eventually. But even then, she might not want to hear what you have to say."

* * *

Leonardo sat on the edge of a high rooftop, blindly looking down at the city streets far below as the sun went down. He had been up here ever since Lotus ran from him—again. Part of him said to just give up and go home already. And yet he stayed out here, sitting, waiting, hoping...

Hoping that at the very least she would come back to say goodbye.

As the darkness grew and the moon rose into the sky, he suddenly felt a presence behind him, silent amidst the cold wind that had started up. His heart was too heavy to lift as he picked his head up. He didn't bother standing or turning around. "Where will you go now?" he asked.

"Back to my own country," was Lotus' frank response, punctuated by her soft accent. "I have tired of this city."

"I see. I wish..."

He started to say that he wished her well, but instead he ended up saying, "I wish you would stay."

"Why?"

He shut his eyes tight. Did she really need to ask? "You know why."

She stepped closer. Her voice was harsh as she spoke. "That is no answer. Speak the truth, or do not speak at all."

His throat tightened. She could be cruel when she wanted to. "Very well."

Leonardo got slowly to his feet, though he still didn't turn around to look at her. Instead, he stared down from the ledge his toes were curling over, the lights of the sea of vehicles on the street below blending into ribbons of white and red. "I want you to stay because I love you. Don't tell me you don't know that."

His words were followed by silence, broken only by the rush of the wind. It might have been his imagination, but he would swear it had grown colder.

When Lotus spoke again, her voice was quiet...and hinted that she was smiling. "I only wanted to hear you say it out loud."

Silence fell again, so heavily Leonardo was sure that he was alone again. But as his heavy heart was sinking even further he heard, firmly, "I will not come live with you in the sewer."

He made a face. Of course not. He would have never asked her to.

She cleared her throat. "But..."

The lone word, hovering and loaded with promise, made the young turtle lift his head. But what?

"But I _will_ live with you up here. Anywhere you want us to."

Stunned, he spun around. Lotus stood just behind him with her arms folded, her smile calm and her eyes bright.

"You mean..." His throat worked a moment. "If I leave home and come up here to live with you...you'll stay?"

The female ninja's smile turned soft. "You will have to fly away from the nest eventually—all of you. But I know how important your family is to you. I will not ask you to fly far."

Leonardo could hardly believe what he was hearing. He was half afraid it was all a joke, or a cruel dream. But Lotus didn't disappear, and her soft smile as she looked at him didn't change. Her eyes lowered. "Well?" she asked quietly, her tone expectant. "Are you going to kiss me?"

He had lost count how many times he dreamed of doing that. Yet now that the chance stood right in front of him, less than an arm's-length away, he had no idea where to start.

 _Hold her first_ , he told himself, trying to calm his growing nerves. _Let the rest follow._

Slowly, he stepped closer and reached out, putting his arms around her and gently bringing her to him. In response, as if she had been held by him before, she unfolded her own arms and slid them around him, her fingers settling into the grooves of his shell. Her smile was almost shy as their eyes met. Leonardo felt his breath catch as he reached up to brush her black hair, coiling in the wind, back from her face.

From there things moved naturally, easily. They both brought their faces closer at the same time, noses softly brushing together. Their eyes closed and their mouths met. It was such a simple touch, yet it made his heart race and his skin heat. It was everything he imagined—only more. Much, much more.

Leonardo exhaled slowly and tightened his arms. This had been a dream of his for so long, it barely felt real. Even though breaking this moment was the last thing he wanted to do, he pulled away, just enough for their mouths to separate. He needed to make sure this was really happening.

Lotus' face was flushed pink as he looked at her, again brushing his fingers over her silk-like hair. "Are you really staying?" he asked in a whisper.

She nodded, her eyes full of understanding. "For you. Only for you."

* * *

"I'm back."

Elizabeth didn't answer, or move from her spot on the floor. During the long hours she was left alone she had gotten up to explore—a new experience for her now that she was locked in perpetual darkness—but the small room only had one way in or out, and the shoddy wooden door was barred on the outside. Her new home had a couple of floor lamps (which didn't do her a whole lot of good now) and in one corner there was a small sink and a toilet, but that was it. So after making use of the toilet and splashing water on her face, there was nothing else for her to do except curl up on the floor again.

Footsteps filled her room as it was opened back up, two large and booted and dozens tiny, bare, and clawed. Frederick didn't budge from his spot by her head.

Thumps and scrapes sounded all around her as something—furniture?—was dragged across the concrete floor. She sat up, edged out of the way and listened closely, but she couldn't tell what was going on, or follow who was moving where. She could already tell she was going to make a lousy blind person.

All of a sudden the room fell quiet. Elizabeth wondered what was going on now—and almost let out a yelp of surprise as a pair of arms suddenly enveloped her, scooping her up and lifting her like she was only a doll. She didn't know what her host looked like, but she figured out in a hurry from the size of the muscles in the hard arms holding her and the broadness of the chest she was now pressed against that the Rat King was the exact opposite of a wimp.

She held still meekly, her heart hammering in uncertainty, as she was carried across the room. The Rat King bent and lowered her to a surface that was much softer than the cold floor she'd been lying on all this time. It sank under her weight, and there was a creak of springs as she shifted a little.

A bed. He'd brought her a bed.

"There," he said, as he positioned her head on a plump pillow before pulling the blanket over her. "Much better."

Elizabeth clutched the blanket to her chin. "Um...thank you."

No point in making him mad by acting ungrateful. And she wasn't. A soft mattress was a lot nicer than a hard, musty floor. It felt firm, and it smelled clean, almost like new. She fingered the blanket; it was velvet on top, with a silk underside. Classy.

She listened as the many footsteps left the room, followed by a dull clunk as the door closed. Frederick hopped up and nestled next to her down pillow. "Just so you know, there's a tasseled canopy over your head."

"Seriously?"

Her host wasn't kidding around about turning her into a queen. Although in the days that followed, Elizabeth didn't feel so much like a queen as she did a spoiled princess.

She wasn't sure how long it had been since she was first brought down here, but the lavish bed was just the start of the daily gifts she was showered with. Her empty room soon had chairs with velvet cushions, a round table with a polished glass top, a lacy vanity and matching seat, combs and brushes for her hair and a growing collection of perfume bottles, plush rugs that made the cold floor much more enjoyable to walk on, and an elegant oak wardrobe—even though she only had one dress to wear.

"I must insist that you wear this," the Rat King told her shortly after she woke up from sleeping in her new bed for the first time.

He didn't elaborate on what 'this' was, and she couldn't really get a handle on it by feel alone. It felt like a gauzy gown with beadwork draped over it, but there were odd bits of cloth dangling from it.

"Is it hideous?" she asked Frederick after she'd put it on.

"It's...different," was his vague response.

Elizabeth waited for as long as she could stand it, but after days of sleeping and rising without being able to tell if she was waking with the sun or the moon, she finally built up enough courage to ask her new 'king' if she could have something she could tell time with. He immediately brought her a desktop calendar made of dense, high-quality paper that had embossed numbers and lettering, so she was able to read the dates with her fingertips. He also gave her a small clock that felt like it was made from smooth glass and chimed delicately every hour.

He flipped the calendar to the current day before leaving it on her vanity. Elizabeth examined it for a moment and was surprised when the raised numbers told her that only a week had gone by since she was first taken down here. It felt like a lot longer, but in reality it had only been seven days since she was fired. Seven days since her heart was broken to pieces. Seven days since her life completely fell apart.

By now, there was a small part of her quietly pointing out that she didn't really have it all that bad down here. She could certainly do worse than sit around and be lavished with gifts all day. Her ribs were in better shape that she first thought, and after a week of babying them and carefully sleeping on her right side, the pain slowly but surely started to fade.

But was she about to settle in and feel comfortable? Hardly. The food she was given was never as fresh as her presents, and no matter how many nice things she had, it didn't change the simple fact that—unconscious or not—she had been brought down here against her will. She was a well-treated prisoner, but she was still a prisoner.

A prisoner who didn't have any hope of escaping even if she wasn't newly blind, thanks to the constant presence of rodent guards. A second didn't go by where she wasn't watched closely; she didn't have to see to know that dozens of small eyes were focused on her. It would have bugged her more if the rats weren't all so sweet.

She already knew many of them by name, and a group always came running whenever she called, ready and eager to wait on her. Their deluded human leader came whenever she called, too, which she found herself doing shortly after he gave her the calendar. She didn't want or need anything else, but she asked him to go to the surface to get her more decorations for her room anyway.

Her request seemed to please him—most likely it made him think that she was growing comfortable down here—and he was all too eager to comply. In reality, she wanted to send him away whenever she thought she could get away with it. She knew she couldn't escape even when he was gone, but she felt better when he wasn't around. Rats she could handle, but a man who thought he was one?

If being kept down here by someone completely off their nut wasn't bad enough, it had already dawned on her that she wasn't getting all of this luxury for free. The Rat King hadn't asked her for anything and whenever he dropped by her room he only talked to her briefly, but...she already knew, deep down, that that was going to change. He wanted more from her than just her company, and she dreaded finding out what that something more was.

Sighing heavily, she set the comb she had been running through her hair down on the vanity and sightlessly fingered the slick glass of one of her perfume bottles. At first she thought it was a little silly to have a collection like this down here in the sewers, but now she was glad for it. She didn't have any way to bathe other than to sloppily splash water on herself at the sink. A spritz or two of fragrance would help mask how dirty she was going to start smelling after a while.

Elizabeth was absently smoothing back her curls (not being able to see made it a pain to put her hair up, so she had been leaving it down these days) when she heard a chorus of squeaks and chatters outside her room, followed by the clunk of the door being pushed open.

The rats that flooded her room greeted her cheerfully, along with exclamations of 'look what we brought you!' and 'she can't see, dummy!'

In spite of everything, their antics always made her smile, and she turned around on her seat and reached down to accept whatever it was they were bringing her. It didn't take long to figure it out: a box made of polished wood, a hinged lid, a windup key on one side. She twisted the key for a moment, then lifted the lid and listened to the whimsical tune that started to play. Smiling again, she turned back to the vanity and made a spot for her new music box.

The sound of heavy boots clumping into the room made her mood dip, and she reminded herself to keep her eyes shut as she quietly closed the music box lid, silencing the tune. She didn't know how much of her emotions showed in them, so she made sure to keep her eyes shut whenever her 'king' was around. It's not like she was using them anymore.

"Do you like your new toy?" the Rat King asked as he came to stand behind her.

Elizabeth nodded politely. "It's lovely. Thank you."

She almost jerked and had to fight the urge to grimace when she suddenly felt his fingers touch her hair. She hated how his cold, clammy, foul-smelling hands felt, but she was afraid of what he might do if she pulled away, or let her disgust show on her face. Even if he didn't see it himself, his rats were always watching her—watching and whispering. She made sure she behaved in front of them, and she was careful about what she said to Frederick.

"You seem very settled now," the Rat King observed as he started petting her hair. "I trust you are comfortable."

Elizabeth nodded again. "As comfortable as I can be."

He made the low sound under his breath that she had come to recognize as a sign that he was pleased. "In that case, I have a small request."

Not allowing herself to cringe right now was torture. Her hands suddenly felt cold; she hastily fumbled for and picked up her comb again, just to keep them busy. Plus she hoped that her captor would move his unwashed fingers if they were in danger of being scraped by the comb's teeth.

He did—but not in the way she had hoped. As she was tugging the comb through her curls and hoping she didn't start shaking, the Rat King moved his hands from her hair and rested them on her shoulders, which were bare thanks to the cut of the gown. Fighting off the urge to squirm almost made her whimper.

"What kind of request?" she asked, her voice small.

Elizabeth was pretty sure her nerves were starting to show despite her efforts, but her insane host didn't seem to notice—or if he did, he didn't mind. He chuckled for a moment, which was the polar opposite of encouraging.

"Just a little favor—but a very important one. I look forward to one day ruling the world with you at my side, but—as much as I'd like to be—I won't be around forever. I need someone to pass my legacy on to."

Elizabeth didn't like where this was going. Not one teeny-tiny little bit.

"So what I need," her 'king' said as he gave her shoulders a squeeze, "is an heir."


	9. Without a Trace

Leonardo was a bundle of nerves as he started down the underground tunnel that would lead him home—which he hadn't returned to in a week now. He hadn't meant to stay away for so long, but almost immediately after he and Lotus met on the rooftop the other night, they had started looking for an apartment they could move into together.

Lotus already had a small place, but it wasn't really big enough for the two of them, and all things considered it was more of a hideout than a home. And speaking of which...the beautiful ninja had severed all ties with the underworld she had been associated with, making sure word got out that she wasn't available for hire anymore.

Both processes had taken time, and since the string of mysterious thefts had been permanently brought to an end and there were no other problems to deal with right now, Leonardo had stuck around up top for the last several days. He kept watch over Lotus as she took her name off contact lists, and slunk discreetly into apartment buildings at her signal to take a look at a place she thought might work for the two of them.

They finally had just the right apartment picked out, and Lotus had already paid for this month's rent. All that was left now was for her to move her things out of her old place, and for him to do the same...and he also needed to tell his family that he was moving out.

His nerves grew even jitterier as he stepped through the round doorway that led into his family's living room. At his side was the one he loved, her hand clutched tightly in his own. In the living room, Raphael and Donatello were busy sparring, Michelangelo was slumped on the couch and staring sullenly at the TV, and Splinter was kneeling on a floor mat enjoying a bento box full of sushi.

Leonardo waited by the doorway for everyone to notice him...and when they did, they all stared in surprise. Especially at who he was with.

Donatello's eyes widened a little. "Lotus?" he said skeptically. "You look...different."

With a soft smile, Lotus glanced down at the pretty white summer dress she was wearing before turning her gaze to the turtle beside her. "There have been a number of changes in my life recently," she noted.

When the two of them met before coming down here, Leonardo had been just as surprised to see her without her usual black-and-gray outfit. She looked so different when she wasn't dressed like a ninja ready to get down to business. The sight of her looking so angelic had left him breathless, and he'd said so.

She had responded by smiling and shyly lowering her eyes, her cheeks turning a soft pink. Looking at her now, her dark eyes shining with love as she gazed at him in return, her words from the other night echoed in his mind. _Only for you..._

Turning his attention back to his family, Leonardo cleared his throat. "I, uh, have some things I need to tell you guys."

Splinter, infinitely wise, looked like he already suspected what he was going to say. Leonardo cleared his throat again. "I'm moving out," he said.

A brief silence punctuated by more surprise-filled stares followed. "Moving out?" Raphael echoed. "By yourself?"

The blue-clad turtle looked at the pretty ninja standing beside him again. "Not completely," he said softly.

No further explanation was needed. He could tell by the look on each of their faces that realization had dawned. Michelangelo spoke first. His face clouded as he blurted out, "That's great. I'm happy for both of you."

He sounded like he was on the verge of tears, and he ducked his head as he bolted out of the room. Leonardo frowned. "Is he all right?"

The rest of them exchanged glances—sad ones. "Did I miss something?" Leonardo pressed.

"The Neutrinos came to visit last week," Donatello explained quietly. "Elizabeth dropped by and saw Michelangelo with Kala."

Leonardo cringed. "Ouch."

"She took off and we haven't heard from her since," Raphael added. "Michelangelo's been trying to find her to say he's sorry all week. No luck."

Leonardo felt a little funny. Almost like he should feel bad for being so happy when his brother just suffered his first heartbreak. "Is he all right?" he asked again, with increased concern.

"Not really," Donatello said with a sigh. "He's worried about her. In fact, I'm getting worried myself; he's looked everywhere for her, but it's like she up and vanished. She doesn't show up for work and she hasn't gone back to her apartment."

"Do you think she's in trouble?" Leonardo wondered.

Donatello shrugged. "Hard to say for sure. I hope not."

Leonardo thought it over only briefly before making up his mind. "We should all go look for her. Just to be safe."

His brothers quickly agreed, and the four of them went quietly up to the surface together, making sure they didn't disturb the unhappy turtle in the other room on their way out. When they reached the streets they split up, Raphael and Donatello heading off together while Leonardo stuck close to Lotus.

Picturing his younger brother searching in vain all week made Leonardo feel funny again. Guilty. He had spent all this time hunting for—and then spent all his time with—Lotus. He had no idea what was going on at home. Just because it soon wouldn't be his home anymore wasn't any excuse for neglecting his family.

After thinking it over, he decided to go check out Elizabeth's apartment, just in case Michelangelo missed something. Only he didn't know how to find it, so even though he didn't want to bother him, he reluctantly beeped his Turtle-com.

"It's no use, dude," Michelangelo said glumly after giving directions to the apartment building. "I've already gone through it a dozen times. There's nothing to find."

"I'm just going to make sure of that. I'll check back with you later, okay?"

The depressed young turtle mumbled a goodbye and disconnected. As Leonardo was putting his Turtle-com away, Lotus suddenly brushed a hand against his shoulder to get his attention. "Who is this Elizabeth anyway?"

"A friend of Michelangelo's—a close friend. I only met her a couple of times myself."

He flashed a playful grin. "I've been too busy chasing after a certain beautiful ninja."

Lotus smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "The chase is over now."

Leonardo slid his arm around her and pulled her close. "Good."

When they reached the apartment building, they discovered with surprise that someone new was in the middle of moving into apartment 107. Confused, they returned to the ground floor and headed to the landlord's office, though Leonardo was hesitant to just walk in. There were few people left in New York who didn't know about him and his brothers, but whether they had heard of them before or not, the typical reaction when someone first set eyes on a giant talking turtle was to freak out.

If that happened, Lotus said she would do the talking for him, but in the end there was no need. The landlord was parked behind a desk mounded with papers he didn't bother to look over as the two of them came in. His eyes stayed glued to the newspaper he was reading while Leonardo inquired if he knew a Miss Cassidy.

"Sure," was the absent response, "she's been a tenant here for a couple of years now. Funny how she disappeared a week ago—no phone call, no note, nothing. I felt kinda bad about boxing all her stuff and moving someone else into her place, but I couldn't just keep her apartment vacant when I don't have any idea if she'll ever come back."

With a sudden snort, the man flipped to the next page of his newspaper. "I doubt she will," he went on. "Stuff like this happens all the time, y'know. Young girl up and takes off, usually running after some guy—or away from one. Either way, you almost never hear from her again."

With a frown, Leonardo mumbled a thank you and left the office. He didn't know Elizabeth well enough to be sure if she'd do something like that or not, but it was an awfully strong coincidence that she had disappeared without a trace right after having her heart broken.

As they left the apartment building, Lotus said, "If he is right, then she has most likely moved to another part of the city by now."

"Or clear out of it," Leonardo agreed with a sigh. "It sure looks like that's what happened."

As the sun began to set, the young turtle put his arm around the ninja beside him, suddenly taken with the urge to keep her close. They started for the next destination they planned to investigate—the aquarium Elizabeth worked at—but Leonardo was getting the feeling they weren't going to find anything.

If Elizabeth had really decided to leave her old life behind, then it wasn't their place to chase after her. The only thing they could do was let her go.

* * *

Elizabeth felt sick. She spent the rest of the afternoon curled up on her canopy bed, hugging a down pillow to her knotted stomach. She barely noticed the rats as they scampered in and out of her room, whispering to each other endlessly. Frederick sat in silence beside her.

When the Rat King told her what he wanted from her, it had taken all her willpower not to scream out that she couldn't—she _wouldn't!_ —at the top of her lungs.

She didn't dare. Not when she could easily picture just what would happen if she outright refused. He would force her—get angry and take what he wanted without her consent. The sickened knot in the pit of her stomach pulled tighter as she thought about how this was the inevitable outcome she was now faced with, because her consent was something she was never, _ever_ going to give.

After hearing what he wanted she had mumbled the only thing she could think to say—and fortunately it was the truth. She wasn't ovulating right now, and she wouldn't be for another week or so. She only prayed that she would somehow find a way to escape before that brief span of time was up.

Her mind churned; she'd never make it to the surface from here. She couldn't so much as leave her room without being spotted—but maybe, she suddenly thought, she could get away with it if she didn't hide what she was doing. Maybe if she made up some excuse and asked to be taken topside, her 'king' would comply. She'd no doubt be kept under guard, but even then, she would have a better chance of getting away out in the open than she did down here.

It was a long shot, but she knew she had to try.

Sitting up, Elizabeth took a moment to smooth her curls and straighten her odd beaded gown, then slid her bare feet to the floor. The plush rugs strewn around were soft and warm as she started across her room, but as she neared the door, her feet touched cold concrete. A shiver ran through her.

The Rat King was in his throne room right now—wherever that was—and like it always was when he was roaming around his 'domain,' the heavy door that barricaded her room whenever he wandered up to the city had been left open just wide enough for the rats to come and go.

As Elizabeth felt around for and then rested her hands on the splintered wood of the clunky old door, a female rat paused by her foot with a squeak. "Where are you going?" she asked curiously.

"This is my home now," the young girl responded, as lightly as she could. "I can go wherever I want down here, can't I?"

Ignoring the weight of dozens of stares, she pushed the heavy door open wider and stepped out of her small room. She hadn't tried to leave before—she didn't really need to, what with all her food brought to her and a toilet included in her accommodations. Plus she expected to be stopped the second she tried.

The rats watching her were chattering at each other in whispers so rapid they were like a hissing sound around her, but none of them stepped in her way as her bare feet felt their way forward. The floor outside her room was even colder, and parts of it were cracked and uneven. Her foot caught on a large split in the concrete and she stumbled.

As she had done many times this last week, Elizabeth silently cursed her blindness. If only she hadn't let her emotions get the better of her that night. If only she hadn't run away crying. If only she had gone straight home. If only...

If only she had never met the turtles in the first place, she thought bitterly. If she had had the slightest clue that this was where she'd end up, she would have followed her first instinct that day she saw Donatello and left him alone. If she had never acted on her impulse to get to know him, she would never have met Michelangelo, and she would never have had any reason to start visiting the sewers. And then the Rat King would never have seen her talking to his subjects and she wouldn't be in this horrific situation.

Thinking about what she could have done differently in the past was pointless. She needed to focus her thoughts on the here and now and do what she had to do. And that was convince her captor to take her to the surface.

Elizabeth continued to stumble forward, feeling along the coarseness of the wall as a guide. She wasn't sure where she was headed, but the rats whispering to each other behind her weren't following her.

Other than the whispering, it was eerily silent down here. The air was stagnant and full of foul odors in this strange, unfriendly place so far from normal civilization. Elizabeth shivered again and wrapped her bare arms around herself.

The corridor she was following suddenly opened up into a much larger room. Elizabeth paused, wondering which direction she should head, when a voice speaking from somewhere in front of her made her jump.

"What's wrong, my sweet? Do you need something?"

Good thing he said something. She probably wouldn't have found him on her own. Steeling herself, the small girl started moving forward again, feeling her way carefully as her other senses sharpened to compensate for the infinite blackness before her eyes. An unpleasant odor teased at her nose: the smell of heavy sweat, layers of dirt and grime, and sewer water. She'd come to recognize this scent as the personal fragrance of her 'king.'

She moved forward another couple of steps, until she could hear the sound of him breathing. The sound of it wasn't coming from the height it did when he was standing, so she assumed he was sitting. Swallowing down her nerves, Elizabeth knelt at what she guessed was the base of his throne, the frothy skirt of her gown pooling around her.

"I-I wanted to ask you something," she began, faltering.

"So ask. You know that I will gladly give you whatever you desire."

Elizabeth had a feeling he was going to revoke that sentiment once he heard what she wanted. She swallowed again and continued. "I want to go to the surface. Just once, please."

"The surface?" the Rat King echoed, shock plain in his tone. "Why? Those who dwell up there shun you—I saw it with my own eyes. This is exactly what makes you such a suitable queen. Why would you want to go back?"

The young redhead had figured he would question her request. She knew she needed a reason, but she had to scramble to come up with one. "You've given me everything I could want down here," she said, hoping to pave her way with flattery, "and I'm grateful, but..."

But she needed to think of a way to say that she only wanted to go up to the streets for a little while—without letting on that what she really wanted was to run as fast as her little legs could carry her the second her feet touched the pavement.

To buy her a few seconds, she uncertainly stretched a hand out. She had deliberately avoided touching him since being brought here, but she hoped that a friendly—and brief—touch to his hand or arm would help along her persuasion.

Her fingers bumped what felt like the side of a big, bulky wooden chair. She was about to seek out the chair's arm when she heard a creak of movement, followed by the feel of the Rat King's chilly hand closing around her own. She almost jerked back, but she forced herself to hold still as he lifted her hand and brought it to his lips.

After pressing a kiss to her fingers, he rested his cheek on them. "Go on."

Elizabeth's heart thumped as her mind raced. She needed to pick a place for him to take her to that would both be easy to escape from and not arouse his suspicions. Her apartment? No. The aquarium? Heck no.

An image of the Japanese garden she loved suddenly popped into her head. She latched onto that image and rushed on. "There's a place I used to visit that I really miss. I'd like to go back just once more. I—think maybe after that I will be ready to give up the surface world forever."

She flashed what she hoped was a convincing smile. A silence passed (during which she wished she could see his face so she could get an idea what was going on in his head), followed by a short grunting sound she took as permission for her to continue. She hastily started describing the garden and all its special features—and to her surprise the Rat King stopped her, claiming to already be familiar with the place.

He must have seen her there himself, or had his rodent spies report back to him, Elizabeth realized bitterly. Just how long had he been watching her? She doubted he had ever seen her with his worst enemies, or else he probably would have thought twice about nabbing her.

"I don't see any harm in taking you there for a couple of hours," her captor noted, "but I'm not sure what you'll get out of it. Not to be unkind, but you can't see it anymore."

"Maybe so," Elizabeth agreed quickly, "but I can still enjoy the smell of the plants, and the sounds of the rustling trees, the animals, the streams. It's, um, nice down here, but it's not really the same."

"You get used to it," the insane human told her coolly.

Elizabeth felt her shoulders sink, and her heart with them. She almost cringed a second later as the Rat King started rubbing his cheek against the back of her hand. "I see no reason not to grant you your request," he said, his voice low and smooth. "If in return you grant me mine."

A cold chill shot through her, but Elizabeth knew she should have seen that coming. Such a risky 'gift' wasn't going to be given without a price. Swallowing back the bad taste that was rising in her throat, she forced herself to nod. "All right. After I come back from the garden...I'll be ready to give you what you want."

Which meant she needed to make sure she never came back or else.

The Rat King made a pleased humming sound before kissing her fingers again. He let go of her hand and stood. "I'll take you there myself, but after that I have something else I must attend to."

Elizabeth's heart started thumping again as she got to her feet; she would have a much easier time getting away if he wasn't around. But she knew better than to think for a second that he was going to leave her completely alone.

"I will be bringing along my best guards, of course," he added. His tone had taken on a hint of hardness. "For your safety."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes behind their closed lids. "Of course," she echoed. "Thank you."

This only proved what she had suspected all along; the Rat King didn't trust her. She had a feeling he knew as well as she did that she was ready to bolt the second she had the chance to, no matter how much she smiled and claimed she was grateful for his kindness.

"One more thing. Your little prince stays here."

The petite redhead nodded mutely. She should have seen that coming, too. 'Little prince' was his nickname for Frederick, whom he didn't trust anymore than he trusted her. When it came to the other rats, things were a mixed bag. Some adored him and squeaked in delight over how big he was, while others—like the ones that had grown the most attached to her—were jealous of him and fought for her attention and affection.

As the Rat King took her arm and led her to the surface, Elizabeth wondered how the two of them were going to meet up after she escaped. She could only hope that Frederick had been listening to their conversation and figured out what she was planning to do. Even if the others tried to stop him, she knew he could get out of here. He'd find her somehow.

No one spoke during the trip topside. Elizabeth was too tense to make small talk, and the rats following at their heels remained silent aside from the faint sound their tiny feet made on the ground as they walked. She couldn't be sure just how many of them there were, but she guessed there was at least twenty.

After trekking through the sewers for a little while, she was taken by the hand and helped up a ladder to an alley above. From there it was a short walk to the garden; she recognized the smell of it as they neared.

The night air felt chilly as they reached the gate. The Rat King let go of her hand and made short work of the slender chains holding the iron gate shut. Elizabeth flinched as she heard each one of them snap in rapid succession. She did not like how strong he was.

There was a creak as the gate was shoved open. "Take good care of her," her captor ordered brusquely. "Make sure she stays on the paths."

The second he was gone, there was a scuttling sound as the rat guards fanned out around her. They were quietly murmuring to each other now, and as Elizabeth listened closely to their voices, she realized with a sinking in her stomach that she didn't know a single one of them.

Further proof of how little her 'king' trusted her. He'd made sure none of the rats she had grown close came along. She was surrounded by strangers—and worse than that, she was surrounded by a feeling that could only be described as threatening.

These rats were here to do their job. As Elizabeth took a shaky step forward, making sure her bare feet stayed on the dirt of the path, she could just imagine them springing at her if she tried to get away. Clinging to her arms and legs, biting and scratching. Even if she could run fast enough to get away—assuming she didn't bolt straight into a tree and knock herself out—what good would it do? They'd race back to tell the Rat King, and then he'd come find her and drag her right back down to his domain. And then she'd really be in for it.

Even as this played through her mind, she still tried. Acting as casual as she could, as if she was idly roaming around, Elizabeth tried to edge off the path, testing the guards' prowess. They responded every time, hissing and snapping at her. She tried quickening her pace and one of them nipped sharply at her ankle.

"Relax," she snapped, stumbling back onto the path. "I can't see where I'm going, you know."

She barely managed to hide the quaver in her voice. Behind her tightly closed lids, tears were stinging her eyes. She couldn't cry. If she cried they would see—they saw everything. And they reported everything they saw.

Elizabeth fumbled on for a little while, occasionally reaching out to brush a tree trunk, the soft leaves of a bush. When her shin suddenly banged sharply into a bench, she sank into it with a shaky exhale of breath.

No point in wandering around anymore. There would be no escape for her tonight. She may as well sit quietly and wait until her 'king' came back to take her home.


	10. The Death of Hope

"What do you mean, Elizabeth doesn't work here anymore? Did she quit?"

Stacy, the girl Leonardo was talking to, breathed a small sigh as she turned and tossed a couple of fish to the pair of porpoises in the training tank they were standing next to. "No. She was fired."

"Fired?" the young turtle echoed in surprise. "Why?"

The young woman faced him and Lotus again with an unhappy frown. "It's kind of a long story," she said, sighing again. "There's this guy who works here named Eric, and he and Elizabeth never got along—mostly because she always turned him down flat whenever he hit on her. Nobody believed the story he told everyone about her goading an orca she was training into attacking him, but...nobody vouched for her, either."

"Why not?" Leonardo asked seriously.

Stacy fiddled with her trainer's whistle for a moment. "To be honest, no one ever felt completely comfortable around her. When she first started working here, she seemed shy and quiet, and none of us really paid attention to her. But she was a terrific trainer and in the beginning the boss couldn't rave about her enough."

Giving a shrug, the blond trainer brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes and glanced at the tank, where the young porpoises were playing, free of worry or care. "Like I said, no one really paid attention to her, but after a while we all started noticing something funny. She always seemed to know everything that was going on and what everyone else was doing—which is weird, since she isn't friends with anyone who works here. It got kind of creepy and a lot of us started wondering if she was secretly spying on everyone or something."

"Or maybe she's just perceptive and sensitive," Leonardo suggested dryly.

"Maybe," said Stacy, her doubt plain. "But it was the same with all the animals. Any time one of the other trainers was having a problem, Elizabeth would pop up with a suggestion. Whatever advice she gave always worked, one-hundred-percent of the time. It was like she could read the animals' minds or something."

She shrugged again and grabbed a nearby towel, obviously uninterested in continuing this conversation for much longer as she started briskly drying herself off. "Everyone else started avoiding her after a while, but Eric kept hounding her because she told his last ex-girlfriend he was cheating on her—which he was. How Elizabeth found out is a mystery, especially to Eric. Nobody had a clue what he was up to, but somehow she figured it out and told Kathy. He was probably the one who really got the spying rumors going, but even then, I doubt anyone would have spoken up when he got her fired last week."

"What day was this?" Lotus wondered.

"Last Monday. Now, if you two will excuse me..."

Stacy hurried out of the room. With a hard frown, Leonardo did the same, with Lotus close behind. "Monday," the blue-clad ninja repeated as they left the aquarium. "That was the same day she came to see Michelangelo and saw him with Kala."

After a day that bad, it wasn't surprising she took off.

"It seems there is little more we can do," said Lotus softly. "If she had no real friends here, then it is doubtful that she told anyone where she was going. There is little chance we will find her."

"I know, but..."

Leonardo breathed a frustrated sigh. "This all seems so wrong to me."

The story he just heard had struck a chord with him. Elizabeth had been shunned by her peers because she was different, something he was all too familiar with. Even if there wasn't much hope of finding her, he wasn't ready to stop looking. Not yet.

* * *

With his arms stretched above his head and his eyes lifted to the deepening blue of the sky, Usagi drew in a deep breath that filled his lungs with the crispness of the fragrant air surrounding him. How he had come to love this garden. He had visited it nearly every day since Elizabeth first showed it to him. He kept expecting to meet her, especially when he came through after dark, but he hadn't seen her at all this week.

After another breath and stretch, he started down one of the dirt paths, his eyes drifting over the trees on either side of him and his ears perking up to the sounds of night insects and the quiet trickling of the nearby stream. He rounded a bend in the path—and was taken by surprise when he spied young Elizabeth seated on a bench just a few feet to his right.

She was dressed strangely. Instead of the casual clothing she had worn the previous times he saw her, she had on an odd kind of gown. It was colored an unattractive brown, with black beads sewn to the bodice and skirt and draped in random patterns. There were also black strips of cloth sewn so they dangled from the skirt, and there were more strips wrapped around her torso, almost like bandages.

Her attire aside, there was something about her that made her seem different from the kind, friendly girl who introduced him to this place. She sat slumped on the bench, her head downcast and her eyes shut. Her face was tired and unhappy. Under the light of the moon, he could see that her skin had a grimy look to it, like she hadn't bathed properly in some time, and his sharp nose twitched as it detected the scent he had grown familiar with thanks to his four friends; the scent of the sewers.

Frowning in puzzlement, Usagi took a step closer. "My lady?"

Elizabeth bolted up from her seat with a startled gasp, hand pressed over her heart. "Usagi!"

Her head turned in his direction, but for some reason she didn't open her eyes. His puzzlement growing, Usagi took another step closer—and to his surprise, a cluster of rodents he hadn't noticed before rose up from where they had been hunkered on the ground. Sitting up on their haunches, they chattered like they were angry at him, teeth grinding together.

They were making a circle around the bench Elizabeth was sitting on, and there were more perched on either arm and lined up along the back. It was a strange sight to see, and his instincts were telling him that there was something very off about this situation.

Slowly, Elizabeth sat down again. Still chattering angrily, the rats went back down on all fours, but their black eyes never left him. Usagi's frown deepened. "Is everything all right?" he asked uncertainly. "Are you well?"

With her eyes still closed, Elizabeth flashed a smile—a tight smile that wavered, as if she was afraid but trying to hide it. "I'm fine."

She suddenly scooted over a little and patted the space beside her. "Come here. Sit down. You—move."

The rat sitting on the arm to her left made a noise that to Usagi sounded like a threat, if it had been words. It hopped up from the arm and joined the others on the back of the bench. At her feet, the rats circling the bench clicked their teeth in a way he could only describe as a warning, but they moved aside as he came closer and sat down.

Inside his head, Usagi was hearing what was known in this world as 'warning bells.' The second he sat, Elizabeth snatched up his right hand and pressed both their hands into the folds of her skirt draped between them on the bench, like she was trying to hide what she was doing. She clutched his fingers so tightly it hurt a little.

The young lady was sitting up straight and rigid, but through her hand he could feel she was trembling slightly. His concern mounting rapidly, Usagi opened his mouth to say something, but Elizabeth cut him off.

"I'm fine," she said again, smiling that strange, wavering smile. "I'm just fine. How is Hyena?"

"Well enough, I suppose," he responded, after a long hesitation.

It was clear she was far from fine. Behind her forced smile, he was growing more and more certain that she was terrified of something. His gaze left her slowly and looked down at the rats lined up at their feet, some of them watching the two of them closely while others faced the opposite direction, as if they were keeping watch in case someone else came along.

"I won't be coming here anymore after tonight," Elizabeth suddenly told him. There was a faint quaver in her voice. "I had an accident and lost my sight."

Usagi looked at her again, at her tightly closed eyes. She was breathing unevenly, and she kept swallowing thickly. He didn't need to be told to know that something was very wrong—and maybe, he suddenly realized, that was the problem. Maybe she couldn't tell him. Maybe she was afraid of who else might be listening.

"I am sorry to hear that," he murmured, as his eyes did a quick, discreet scan of their surroundings. He didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary aside from the rats...although he noticed that the nighttime sounds he so enjoyed when he came to this place sounded far away from where they sat, as if the other creatures sensed danger and were keeping their distance.

Elizabeth's grip on his hand tightened so hard he almost winced. Was she trying to tell him to take her away from here? "Would you like me to take you to Hyena?" he asked slowly, casually. "I am sure he would enjoy seeing you."

"No," was the quick, sharp response. "I'm sure he's fine without me. In fact..."

She trailed off and bit her trembling lower lip for a moment. "A lot has changed this week. I have a new life, and I'm very happy. I don't need anyone or anything I used to know or have. I don't need my old friends anymore. You should go."

Despite what she'd just said, her hold on his hand didn't loosen. Her thumb was rubbing his fingers, as if she was trying to will him to understand a message she couldn't say with words. Slowly, she let go and tucked her hand against her thigh.

"Go on," she said quietly. "And don't come back."

Usagi rose from the bench slowly. Leaving her when he knew there was some kind of danger lurking nearby was difficult for him, but he couldn't be sure how to proceed until he knew more. He didn't want to risk that he might be putting her in more danger by taking her from this place.

With the weight of distrusting stares on his back, he started down the dirt path, heading back the way he came. As the distance between he and Elizabeth grew, he repeated their strange conversation in his head.

He was positive that she had been trying to tell him something, something she couldn't say outright. But what she did say made little sense to him. First she claimed to have lost her sight, and then she declared that she had a new life she was very happy with, and that she didn't need old friends anymore.

Remembering the word 'friends' made him draw himself straighter and quicken his pace. Aside from himself, he knew there were others that she considered her friends. And fortunately, they were his friends, too.

* * *

After Usagi was gone, Elizabeth had to struggle harder than ever not to cry. She had wanted to tell him to run, to beg him to take her with him. But she had no idea when the Rat King was coming back for her. If he had shown up while they were trying to escape...

She didn't know how capable Usagi was at defending himself. When telling her about his 'fuzzy bud' that day they went to the animal shelter together, Michelangelo had mentioned that he was a samurai—his exact words being that Usagi was a 'gnarly samurai dude.'

Elizabeth had no way of knowing if he had exaggerated or if the rabbit was genuinely skilled. And even if he was, someone who originally came from a world that was an animal equivalent of Feudal Japan was used to battling with swords and blades, not guns and explosives. She knew from all the stories she'd heard about him that the Rat King packed a large, deadly arsenal.

It hadn't been an easy decision, and probably not even the right one, but instinct had told her that her best bet for getting away—and for good—was to bring in someone who knew from experience what they were up against. She only hoped that Usagi would tell them that he had seen her tonight. And she hoped mentioning that she had been surrounded by rats would be enough to bring Michelangelo and the others running to her rescue, and soon.

She sat on the bench for what felt like hours, listening to the distant sounds of night insects and the even more distant sounds of traffic as the night wore on and the air grew colder. Finally, heavy footsteps heralded the return of her captor, who wordlessly took her by the arm and led her back down to her prison.

For a little while she was left alone in her room, where she curled up on her bed, thinking. Thinking and praying.

A few minutes after the clock on her vanity chimed midnight, the Rat King came into her room and sat on the edge of her bed. "I hear you had a visitor during my absence."

Elizabeth figured he would mention that, since there was no way her guards would skip tattling that Usagi showed up, along with every word that was spoken between them. She sure hoped her responses had been vague enough not to give her away.

"It was no one important," she said lightly, without bothering to sit up. "I told him to go away."

The Rat King chuckled suddenly. "They told me it was some kind of bunny. I find that amusing...and relieving. If you had spoken to a man, I would feel otherwise."

An awfully reasonable reaction for someone so insane, Elizabeth thought dryly. He knew from watching her that there was no man who cared to come looking for her, but at the same time he couldn't imagine her bumping into anyone else. Which again told her that he had missed spotting her with his enemies. Hopefully that would work out to her advantage, somehow.

Cheek pressed to the velvet blanket, she forced a faint smile. "Why would I bother with someone else when I have you?"

Looking back later, she wasn't sure what made her say that. Maybe she had hoped petting his ego would satisfy him that she hadn't been up to no good and he would leave her alone. But in the end, the only thing her words accomplished was destroying her last hope.

Chuckling again, the Rat King scooted closer and rested a hand on her bare arm. "I'm glad you feel that way," he said, his voice almost a purr as he caressed her skin. "And I'm glad you've finally had your fill of the upper world. Now we can focus on us. Our future."

Something about the way he said that made her blood turn cold. She went stiff as his hand moved from her arm to her hair. "Now that I've fulfilled my promise, I think it's time you fulfilled your own."

Heart stopping and throat closing, Elizabeth sat up and instinctively started backing away, hair tangling around her face in her haste. "But I'm not—" she faltered, "—I mean, it's still too soon. I'm still not..."

"That's all right," her captor said smoothly. "We could always use a little practice first. Couldn't we?"

_No_. No, no, no...

Elizabeth wanted to start screaming, to get up and run as fast as she could, but how far would she get down here?

She soon had her answer. She edged back until she had one foot on the floor; the Rat King reached over casually and closed his hand around her slim forearm. He didn't even bother to grip her tightly. They both knew she didn't have a prayer prying his iron-like fingers off.

A surge of terror had her throat closing again. Part of her was ready to fight, to scream and kick for all she was worth, but another part of her was too afraid to. It'd probably do nothing except make him mad—and it would be worse if he was mad. She was sure of it.

That didn't stop her from letting out a startled gasp and shrinking back as far as she could as he suddenly tugged her closer, dragging her away from the edge of the bed and to the middle of the mattress like she was a feather. "I-I've never—I haven't..."

Her hands had gone cold, and she swallowed thickly as tears flooded her sightless eyes and spilled down her face. "I'm not ready to do this. Not yet. Please, not yet."

He didn't agree.


	11. Broken

It was after midnight when Leonardo finally returned home. His day-long search had been fruitless, and when Raphael and Donatello contacted him a little while ago they reported they didn't find anything either. Leonardo was tired and disappointed, but there was one bright spot throughout all this. He had spent the entire day with the one he loved.

Pausing outside the lair, he turned to Lotus and took her hands. "I'll see you in the morning, my love," he told her softly. "Sleep well."

Lotus smiled, gave him a lingering kiss goodnight, then slipped silently away. Flush with happiness, Leonardo went inside. In the room they shared, each of his brothers were already in bed, though none of them were asleep yet. Raphael was sitting up reading a comic book, Donatello was tinkering with something, and Michelangelo was tossing and turning restlessly under his covers.

The ordinarily cheerful turtle looked depressed, but his droopy demeanor lifted a little as Leonardo came into the room. "Any luck?" the orange-clad ninja asked hopefully as he hopped out of bed.

Regretfully, the ninja leader shook his head. "None. But I did learn a couple of things."

He repeated what he'd been told at the aquarium, along with finding out that Elizabeth didn't live in her apartment anymore. When he was finished, Michelangelo shook his head in disbelief. "Lizzie wouldn't run away."

"But she did just have a seriously bad day," Raphael reminded him. "Maybe she needed a change of scenery."

But the young turtle was adamant, insisting that Elizabeth wouldn't run from her problems, no matter how upset she was. He was convinced something was wrong—and considering that all of her personal belongings had been left behind, Leonardo was inclined to agree with him.

Before the conversation could continue, an unexpected guest dropped by. Sensing a presence approaching behind him, the blue-clad ninja quickly turned around. To his surprise, he saw Usagi in the living room. "I am sorry to disturb you all so late," the soft-spoken rabbit said, "but I just had a strange experience I thought I should inform you of."

The reptilian quartet exchanged puzzled glances before Leonardo turned back to Usagi with a nod. "Go on."

"Earlier this evening I happened to be visiting a garden introduced to me by the young lady Michelangelo brought to the shelter a time ago," the furry samurai began as he stepped through the bedroom doorway. "When I saw her tonight, she—"

Before he could finish, Michelangelo bolted forward and grabbed the startled lagomorph by the shoulders. "You saw Lizzie?" he cried. "Where?"

"I just said I was in the garden," Usagi reminded him with a frown.

Leonardo quickly urged his excited brother to let go. "Easy now. Let him talk."

Michelangelo quieted, but he listened with agitation as Usagi continued.

"I did not feel right about leaving her alone, but there was more to the situation than I could see. I believe she is in some form of trouble."

"Did she say that?" asked Leonardo.

Still frowning, Usagi shook his head. "Not precisely. I could sense that she was deeply upset by something, but what little she said to me did not make much sense. She claimed that a recent accident stole her sight, but I cannot be certain if she was telling the truth."

Michelangelo made a face. "Why would she lie about something like that?" he wondered.

The white rabbit shrugged his small shoulders—a gesture he no doubt picked up from the four of them. "I could not say. Any more than I could say why there were so many rats surrounding her."

There was a slapping sound as Raphael's comic book slipped out of his hands and hit the floor. "Say what?" the red-clad turtle asked dryly.

"She was surrounded by rats?" Leonardo repeated in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. The whole time I was there it felt like they were watching me in anger. It was as if they were guarding her."

While Raphael and Donatello came tumbling out of bed and Michelangelo rushed to grab his weapons, Usagi watched them with a frown of concern. "I could take you to where I saw her, if you like," he offered. "Although I fear she may not be there any longer."

"No need," Leonardo told him grimly. "We know exactly where to find her now."

* * *

Elizabeth lay curled up under her velvet and silk blanket so tight her chin pressed to the tops of her knees. Tears streamed freely down her face as she sobbed, but she didn't care. She didn't care if the rats saw. She didn't care if the rats told. She didn't care, period.

It had hurt. A lot. She had begged, crying, for him to stop, but her pleas had been ignored.

"You'll get used to it," her captor had told her.

She had done no such thing, and she was left with lingering pain after he was done. Elizabeth didn't know where he was now, but she could hear the sound of him snoring somewhere in the distance.

As she lay there alone, blanketed in heavy, impenetrable darkness, she came to realize something. She was no queen. The Rat King only wanted his heir and a way to sate his lustful desires. If anything, she had become his personal whore. If this was all life had to offer her now, she wondered if she wouldn't be better off if her frightened assumption that night she was first taken underground had been proven correct after all.

Once upon a time, her thoughts heading in such a dark direction might have disturbed her, but now she felt nothing but a numbness deep inside. A numbness that spread through her as she continued to cry, trying but not quite succeeding in choking back her disgust, her shame. The tears on her face felt cold, while the pain between her legs burned.

All of a sudden the bed shifted under someone else's weight. Elizabeth jerked up with a frightened cry—but then something soft and warm pushed into her hands. Her form sagged in relief, and she grappled to scoop Frederick in her arms, hugging him close as fresh tears filled her eyes.

"Don't ever leave me," she begged in a whisper.

"Never," her long-time friend vowed. "You're my best friend and I love you. It's you and me forever."

Sniffling, Elizabeth kissed the top of his head. "I love you too. Forever."

* * *

It had been a long time since any of them needed to follow the corridors that led to the Rat King's domain, but Leonardo remembered the way. "Down there," he instructed, pointing with one of his katanas.

"You know, I'd _really_ be thrilled if we never had to deal with his Royal Nuttiness again," Raphael groused.

"Who is this Rat King?" asked Usagi as he kept pace with the rest of them. "Is he a rat, like Master Splinter?"

"No," muttered the turtle in red beside him, "he just thinks he is."

Leonardo paused at the head of the group, trying to recall which of the three paths that faced them was the quickest. "I think we take the left one," said Donatello.

The blue-clad leader led the way down the tunnel to the left. As they turned a corner, about a dozen rats darted out of the way of their pounding feet, scattering in every direction with unhappy squeaks.

"We're getting close," Leonardo called over his shoulder.

"And now he knows we're coming," added Raphael.

"Good," said Michelangelo darkly. "Then he won't be surprised when my fist breaks his face."

They continued on for several more minutes, turning corners and sloshing through murky water, until they emerged in a large, open area that Leonardo recognized as the Rat King's throne room. It was empty except for a group of rats edging back to one side, backs arched and teeth bared. Their tails sharply slapped the concrete floor as they hissed.

A few seconds later they were joined by their self-appointed king, who looked like he had just been pulled unwillingly from a deep sleep. "What do you want?" he demanded irritably.

His sleepy eyes blinked at them before focusing in surprise on Usagi. "The bunny? Something told me you were going to turn out to be trouble."

Michelangelo stepped to the front of the group with a growl. "All right, you slimy piece of filth, where's Elizabeth?"

"You mean my queen? She's resting. You really shouldn't disturb her."

"Your _queen_?" echoed Raphael. "Ew."

"Not your snappiest comeback, dude," his orange-clad brother said dryly.

"Sorry. I'm too nauseated to think of anything better."

"All right," said the Rat King hotly, "out! All of you!"

"Not without Lizzie," said Michelangelo, teeth clenched.

"I'll never let you take her. She's mine."

They already expected to have to fight their way to her, and they were poised to storm their way past—but just then the girl in question appeared in a nearby doorway. There were dozens of rats clustered around her bare feet, some of them hissing in the same angry way the ones in the throne room were, while others sat on their haunches and watched her in a manner that reminded Leonardo of an obedient dog.

Clutched tightly in Elizabeth's arms was one of the biggest rats he had ever seen. She held him protectively to her chest as she lifted her head. Her face was lined in concentration, like she was listening hard, and she took several deep sniffs. Her eyes stayed shut.

The rat in her arms also had its head up, like it was making a quick scan of the room. It suddenly twisted around and made a chattering sound near Elizabeth's ear. The small girl stood up straighter. "Usagi?"

The fearless samurai immediately responded to her call, hopping over the heads of the rats surrounding her and drawing his swords ominously when they tried to pounce on him. He soon stood between her and them, their teeth and claws little match for his blades. The cluster of rats still sitting hunched at Elizabeth's feet didn't move.

Both Michelangelo and Raphael darted in the Rat King's path as he tried to move in Elizabeth's direction. "All of you keep away from her," the insane human snarled. "I told you, she's mine."

"You have no right to claim someone against their will," Usagi told him coolly.

This earned him a smirk. "She certainly never said no."

Elizabeth's cheeks turned a shame-filled red. "I never said no because I was afraid you would kill me," she said blackly. "Now I almost wish that I did, and that you had. I'll die before I'll ever let you touch me again."

Michelangelo, who had been listening closely to this exchange, turned a paler shade of green, while at the same time a burst of color flared in his cheeks. His eyes snapped. "What the heck did you do to her?"

"Nothing that's inappropriate for a king to do to his queen," was the smug response.

"Why you sick—!"

As the furious turtle lunged, with his brothers close behind, Leonardo heard Elizabeth mutter that she was no one's queen. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as she turned around and knelt, facing the group of rats still hovering nearby. She whispered something for a moment, and then, to Leonardo's amazement, they nodded their heads and formed a protective circle around her and Usagi. They hissed and snapped at the other rats, forcing them to move back.

"What do you think you're doing?" the Rat King cried furiously. "You're going to let her escape!"

"You can save your bellowing," Elizabeth said calmly. "They won't be listening to you anymore."

As if to prove it, she stretched a hand out and placed it on Usagi's shoulder. "Please take me out of here," Leonardo heard her whisper.

The rabbit nodded wordlessly and started forward. The hissing rats tried to bite at their heels and leap at their shins, but the ones Elizabeth whispered to fought them off. Usagi grabbed the young girl's hand and took off running.

Enraged, the Rat King made a move to dart past the reptiles he was battling, but Michelangelo kicked him back sharply. "It's you and me, dude. You'll touch her over my dead body."

The ensuing fight between the two would have been violent and brutal and come to an even worse end, but after exchanging only a handful of blows with the fired-up turtle the foul human realized he was outnumbered and outmatched. The next thing they knew, he had tossed a smoke bomb and fled while they gagged on the fumes.

"Come back here and fight," Michelangelo ordered between coughs.

"Forget him," Leonardo choked. "Elizabeth is safe now. Let's go find Usagi and get her out of here."

* * *

Usagi kept a tight grip on Elizabeth's hand as the two of them ran through the dank corridors. At first the other rats chased after them, their foul jaws snapping, but as the ones guarding the young lady continued to fight them back, they slowly retreated, until only their allies remained. Knowing they wouldn't be welcomed back after what they just did, these too ran off into the darkness one by one, until he and Elizabeth were alone.

The white rabbit slowed to a stop, panting to catch his breath. "I believe we are safe now."

The darkened tunnel they were in was silent, although over the sound of his own labored breathing and the rapid beat of his heart, his ears suddenly picked up a strange rumbling somewhere in the distance.

It quickly drew closer, like a giant animal bearing down on them. Usagi looked over his shoulder but saw only darkness. "What is that?" he wondered with a frown.

Elizabeth pulled her hand from his to wipe sweat off her face, then adjusted her hold on the large rat she carried. "Just a subway train. Are there tracks somewhere nearby?"

He took a look around and realized that they were standing beside what looked like a deep, wide channel, with a series of metal rails lining the bottom. "I believe so," he responded. "Are we in any danger?"

Even though he had been here for several years now, he still knew so little about this world. Elizabeth flashed a faint smile before feeling for and resting her hand on his shoulder. "Not as long as we stay up here. The horn might hurt your ears, though."

As if in response to her words, a sharp noise rang out, almost making him flinch. A dot of light appeared at the far end of the tunnel. "We had best move on, then."

Elizabeth gave a nod, and Usagi turned to peer down the other end of the tunnel, wondering which direction would lead them to the surface.

Before he could decide, the rodent Elizabeth was holding let out a high-pitched yelp and tumbled to the ground. The small girl's hand flew from his shoulder. Usagi whirled—and saw that the Rat King had his hand clamped over Elizabeth's mouth, his arm locked around her waist. The tiny human kicked and fought with all her might, but her efforts were no use as she was dragged backwards.

"Try to stop me and I'll dice you into a stew and wear your cute little paws on a chain around my neck," he warned savagely.

Usagi snorted, unmoved. "I do not see how you will manage that without any fingers."

As he spoke, he lifted a katana and swiped neatly at the hand gripping Elizabeth's waist.

The Rat King recoiled with a howl of pain. Blood poured from the gash on the back of his hand. His grip loosened and Elizabeth tried to bolt free, but he seized her hair with a grunt and yanked her back again. With his free hand, he fumbled to pull something from his belt.

Something small and metallic glinted in his grasp just before he threw it at Usagi. The skillful lagomorph was already tensed and ready, and he gave a hop as the hissing object sailed towards him and kicked it out of the air. It flew to the other side of the tunnel and exploded when it hit the far wall, the sound all but lost under the rumble of the rapidly approaching train.

A second later the rumbling was all he could hear, and when the powerful horn sounded again he cringed. The light shining at the front of the machine was blinding.

As Usagi was shielding his eyes, he heard the Rat King yell out in pain again. Squinting through his fingers, the samurai saw that Elizabeth's rat had latched onto his leg, his impressive teeth gnawing sharply at his booted foot.

Growling in fury, the foul-smelling human kicked violently, sending the rodent flying. Usagi tried to see where he landed, but as he turned his head he was blinded by the light again. The train looked like it was on top of them now, and it roared like a wild demon as it rushed by them so hard and fast it created a burst of wind.

The Rat King still had Elizabeth in his grasp, and her hair and skirt billowed in the gusts as he shifted her in front of him, holding her in place like a shield.

"Coward," Usagi hollered. "Let her go and face me!"

But the mad being started to back up, apparently planning to hide behind the small female as he made his retreat. Only he wasn't able to retreat very far; he had only taken a few steps when he was suddenly jerked back, so hard and unexpectedly he lost his grip on Elizabeth. The shaken girl sank to her knees and scooted to the side, until she was pressed up against the wall. In the rapid blur of light and shadow cast by the subway train as it continued on by, Usagi saw vague flashes of green fists as they cut through the air.

When the train was finally gone and the tunnel fell silent again, the Rat King had vanished. Michelangelo was taking Elizabeth by the hand and helping her to her feet. "You okay?" he asked gently.

Elizabeth nodded absently. Her sightless eyes were open and lifted, like she was listening for something. A frown touched her lip. "Where's Frederick?"

Behind them, the others were hurrying to catch up. "Who's Frederick?" wondered Raphael as he joined them.

"Her pet rat," said Michelangelo.

"She has a pet rat? Jeez, no wonder he..."

Raphael stopped himself sheepishly as the orange-clad turtle shot him a look. Elizabeth wiggled from his grasp. "Frederick," she called loudly.

Usagi looked around, but there was no sign of a large rat nearby. His gaze eventually drifted to the lower section of the floor, and to the tracks below. He felt his stomach pull tight. "Oh..."

It was all he could say. Seeing the look on his face, Michelangelo followed his gaze to the tracks. His eyes widened and he swallowed uncomfortably. "Yikes."

Beside him, Elizabeth let out a huff of frustration. "What 'yikes'? What's going on? Where's Frederick?"

She started moving away, fully determined to find him despite her lack of sight, but the young turtle quickly grabbed her and pulled her close to him. "I'm so sorry," he told her, swallowing again. "He...fell."

"Fell? Where?" Elizabeth demanded.

"On the tracks," Michelangelo answered, his voice a mumble.

For a moment the young redhead looked blank. Then, as realization sunk in, her face twisted in pain. "No..."

Michelangelo hugged her tightly as she burst into tears. Usagi watched with a saddened heart, having no doubt that the loss of her friend was far from the only cause of her pain.

"He can't be gone," she sobbed. "He just can't! It was always supposed to be the two of us..."

"It's okay," the turtle holding her whispered as he stroked her hair. "Just let it all out."

Leonardo let out a heavy sigh as he put his katanas away. "We should go."

Elizabeth suddenly wrenched from Michelangelo's arms. "But I don't have anywhere to go," she cried, stricken. "I lost my job, and they can't have kept my apartment this long. I have nothing. No one."

"You've got us," Michelangelo reminded her quietly.

But the young girl was inconsolable, and she hid her face in her hands as she continued to sob.

"Is this true?" asked Usagi. "Does she no longer have a home?"

Leonardo nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so."

"It'll be okay," Michelangelo told her. He started to reach for her again, but he checked himself. "You can stay with us for now. We wouldn't mind."

Elizabeth shook her head in response. "No. No, I want to go with Usagi."

The rabbit stood straighter in surprise. "Me?"

She nodded, sniffling. "Yes. Please take me back to the animal shelter. I want to be near Hyena. And..."

Choking back a fresh wave of sobs, she buried her face in her hands again. "I can't stay down here another second."

Looking at someone so full of pain and sorrow, Usagi could not find it in his heart to refuse. "I will take her," he said softly. "I am sure Obento will not mind."

Michelangelo looked like he wanted to raise an objection, but he kept quiet for once as Usagi reached out and took Elizabeth's quivering hand. Her fingers curled around his tightly. "I'll come check on you first thing in the morning," Michelangelo promised.

Elizabeth didn't respond as she and Usagi started walking away. She kept silent during the entire walk to the Far East Animal Society, her eyes tightly shut as tears trickled ceaselessly down her face.


	12. An Unexpected Bond

When Elizabeth and Usagi reached the animal shelter, the soft-spoken rabbit only gave a brief explanation about what happened to her before he and the kindly caretaker took her to a room at the back, just down the hall from where the two of them slept. She listened to things being moved around for a moment before she was escorted gently to a spare futon bed that had been unrolled on the tatami floor for her. She was then left alone. Alone with her thoughts and the coldness that had settled in her heart.

Elizabeth curled up in a ball and wrapped her arms around herself, but the chill in her bones refused to leave. It felt like it had permanently wormed its way into her veins, turning her insides as numb as her outside. The only part of her that ached with feeling was her heart. That sorry organ felt battered. Sliced to ribbons. Memories of tonight flashed through her mind and had her choking back sobs.

The one consolation she had in all this was that she wasn't as alone as she had believed. The turtles had come running to her rescue just like she had hoped, and now she was being cared for by two kind-hearted people. And Michelangelo...

Elizabeth could tell from the desperation in his voice as he fought to get to her, and how tenderly he had held her as she cried, that he still cared for her. Looking back, that day she had seen him with someone else seemed so far away now. Distant to the point where it was no longer important. Just like the memories she had of every moment they shared.

She was still brooding over it when the two sweet souls looking after her came back, this time bringing her an extra blanket, a bowl of warm food and a cup of hot tea. Elizabeth accepted everything gratefully, but she found she had trouble eating. Her stomach felt like it was twisted in knots, and good, heated food tasted funny after eating nothing but things she was sure were rancid and drinking water that was cold and stale. She nibbled at what she could before curling up on her futon again, burrowing under the soft blanket.

Usagi and his master crept out of the room quietly, though she could easily hear their voices through the thin walls as they spoke lowly out in the hall. The furred samurai was delicately going into more detail about everything that happened tonight. He faltered when he reached the point where he had concluded from the Rat King's boasting comments that she had been violated.

Obento sounded both grim and compassionate as he spoke. "It is dreadful for such horrors to happen to anyone, least of all someone so young. She is welcome here for as long as she wishes to stay."

"Thank you, Master."

As the two of them walked quietly away, another set of footsteps approached her door—a set made by four clawed feet. There was a pause, followed by a scraping sound, like her door was being nudged open by someone who didn't have hands. The footsteps padded across the tatami floor, and a unique scent drifted over to her. Refreshing and clean as the great outdoors, but at the same time rich and mysterious, like the unknown night.

Elizabeth sat up and stretched her arms out. A strong, muscled body covered in warm hair brushed against her, letting her envelop it, hug it tight. With a shaky sigh, the young girl rested her cheek against Hyena's strong neck and stroked his ears.

The powerful dog didn't say anything, and neither did she. She could tell by the tension in his large frame that he had heard what happened to her, and that he was ready to protect her if he had to. Eyes moistening, she pressed a kiss to the top of his head before laying back down again. Hyena settled down at her side, facing the door.

Elizabeth tried to go to sleep after that, but her restless thoughts wouldn't let her. She kept thinking about Frederick. About the day she first found him, a tiny, hairless, helpless little baby. She didn't know where he had come from, but it didn't matter. He had needed her. So she had hugged him and taken him home, and he had grown up into the brash, funny creature who never failed to brighten her day or lift her mood when she was down.

She couldn't imagine life without him, even though she knew he was gone. She could picture him stepping onto her back when she was being stubborn about getting out of bed, and tickling her ear with his whiskers until she, laughing, sat up and swatted him away.

Only he wouldn't be there to greet her tomorrow morning, or the morning after that. The last words they had spoken to each other echoed in her mind. _You and me, forever..._

Her eyes moistened again, so much so that they escaped between her tightly closed lids and spilled down her cheeks. Suddenly feeling like the air in the room was pressing heavily on her, Elizabeth sat up and kicked the blankets off. "Where are you going?" Hyena asked as she stumbled to her feet.

"I need air. No, scratch that."

The redhead took a sniff of her own arm. "I need a good soak. Where's the bathroom again?"

Hyena rose and came to her side. "You mean the water closet?" he wondered, his gruff voice uncharacteristically light.

He was trying to cheer her up, but Elizabeth couldn't force a smile. Laughter felt so far away, she wondered if she would ever make that sound again.

"No, I mean the bathroom. Water closets are for toilets. I want the tub."

The massive dog shifted closer, until his side was touching her leg. "Here. I'll show you."

She rested a grateful hand on his neck. "Thank you."

He led her down the hall and to the bathroom, then stood guard while she closed the door. She felt her way around for a minute, mapping out the sink, the tub, the towels, soap, and wash cloths. After getting a handle on her surroundings, she twisted the tub's faucet on before stepping back and getting undressed. She had grown to absolutely hate the gown she had been forced to wear and couldn't get it off fast enough.

It tore before she was done shedding it, but Elizabeth didn't care. She crushed the smelly garment into a ball and kicked it aside, fully intending on throwing it away later. It didn't occur to her until after she was nude that she didn't have anything else to wear, but for the moment her only concern was getting clean.

When the tub was full, she eased herself into the warm water slowly. It was almost too hot for her chilled body, but she set to work scrubbing the grime of the sewers off her skin. She buffed herself until she was nearly raw and then worked on her hair. It all took so long the water grew cold and she had to heat it again, but finally she felt satisfied and fresh.

After draining and rinsing out the tub, she dried herself off with a large towel. Then, since there wasn't anything else on hand, she wrapped the towel around herself and snugged it in place before leaving the bathroom.

Out in the hallway, she heard movement as Hyena got up to step out of her way, but she also heard someone else moving off to her right. Even though she knew she was safe here, Elizabeth felt herself tense.

"Do not be frightened," came Usagi's gentle voice as he drew nearer. "It is only me."

Letting out her breath slowly, Elizabeth relaxed again. "Sorry. I'm kind of edgy right now."

"You have no need to apologize."

His soft footsteps came closer, until she sensed him standing almost at her side. He could probably tell she needed her space right now and didn't try to come closer. "I hope I am not prying, but I have been wondering about something," the small rabbit said, with hesitation in his voice.

Elizabeth merely shrugged, doubting that anything he wanted to know would upset her more than she already was. "What is it?"

"How did you come to lose your sight?"

Frowning, the petite redhead thought back. She vaguely remembered the car exploding, and seeing a blinding flash of white, followed by a flare of red. Thinking about it reminded her of something she had heard once, about it being possible for someone to be blinded by looking at something that was too bright for their retinas to handle, like an eclipse.

"I'm not completely sure, but I think they were flash-burned."

There was a brief silence, during which she could picture Usagi glancing down regretfully. As she waited for him to speak again, she suddenly noticed something. It really was silent right now. The last time she was here it was during the day and all the animals had been chattering up a storm, but they had been tucked away in bed for the night, and there wasn't a voice to be heard now that Usagi had gone quiet.

The shelter was in a part of town where it didn't get much traffic driving by throughout the day, but even then, she couldn't imagine much sound penetrating this deep into the old building. There were no car horns honking. No loud music playing. No hum of voices, animal or human. Just a blanket of quiet, of peace. She had found a truly silent place at last.

If only she wasn't too miserable to enjoy it.

"I am sorry," Usagi told her softly.

Elizabeth shrugged again. "It's all right. I'll adjust."

She knew that she sounded stiff, probably even a little unfriendly, but she really wasn't up to making conversation right now. She was tired and wanted to lie down again, and the dampness in the towel she was wearing was almost making her shiver.

She was just about to wrap her arms around herself for warmth when something soft and warm touched her hand. For a second she thought it was Hyena, trying to nudge his nose into her palm, but then she recognized the shape of Usagi's fuzzy fingers. They closed around hers before giving her hand a gentle tug. "Come with me."

Elizabeth followed as he led her down the hall, though her feet felt like they grew heavier with each step. She covered a yawn with her free hand. Usagi paused to slide open a door, then pulled her into a room that smelled of clean linen. He let go of her hand, and she listened for a minute or two to the rustle of clothing. Something soft and neatly folded was placed in her hands.

"It is a little large for you," said Usagi, sounding uncertain. "But I hope it will do for now."

Elizabeth unfolded what he had given her and ran her fingers over it for a moment. It felt like cotton, and she guessed from the way it was open in front and tied with a cord that it was a bathrobe.

"I will try to find something that fits better in the morning," the samurai told her.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said tiredly.

He sounded so concerned with making sure she was comfortable. It made something funny stir in her heart—something warm and familiar, yet she had grown so used to her insides feeling cold that it took her a second to recognize it.

She was touched. His kindness had touched her. It was a small feeling, but it was enough to make the numbness in her veins finally start to thaw a little. She tried to smile as she hugged the robe to her chest, but instead her eyes started to fill. They were closed, but her tears didn't escape Usagi's notice. For a brief second the soft furriness of his fingers brushed her cheek, like he had been about to dry her eyes but stopped himself. "Cry if you need to," he told her in a quiet voice, "but please, do not worry about anything. No harm will come to you while you are here. I will not allow it."

The moisture behind her closed lids grew, but this time the corners of Elizabeth's lips succeeded in lifting. Just a little. "Thank you," she said again. "I'm so glad I have you as a friend."

* * *

Early the next morning, Usagi awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside. Getting up and heading to the back of the hallway, he faced the window there and stretched to greet the day. He then turned and went to peek in the room just a little down the hall from the window, wanting to check on Elizabeth.

The small room was empty. The futon bed they gave her had been rolled up and put away for the day. A little further exploration told him that she wasn't wandering the back hallways anywhere, and neither was Obento, but it was common for his master to be up and gone at this hour.

As he started for the main room of the shelter, Usagi could hear that the animals were also up and about, and making more noise than usual. When he reached the large room, he stopped in surprise.

Elizabeth was seated on a cushion in the middle of the floor, still dressed in Obento's spare yukata. He was a small man, so it wasn't an absurd thing for such a petite young lady to wear, although the muted browns and grays were not flattering to her fair skin. And after all she had endured last night, he was not about to mention that she had tied the front incorrectly.

She had her hair pulled up in a bun, and there was a soft smile on her face as the animals, free of their cages, crowded around her. She was petting and speaking softly to each one in turn; somehow, she already knew all of their names. Hyena was reclining a distance away, poised between the small girl and the front door. His dark eyes never left her.

As Usagi drew closer, Elizabeth got to her feet. "Usagi?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

She smiled again, this time in relief. For the first time since he brought her up from the sewers and to the shelter, she had her eyes open. There were as green and bright as he remembered, but they remained unfocused, not turning in his direction even though she was speaking to him.

"I thought it was you, since you barely make any noise when you walk. Maybe I'll get used to being blind after all."

A kitten started pawing at her bare toes, mewling for attention. Elizabeth quickly scooped him up and nuzzled his soft coat with a look of affection. "You guys are just so sweet," she said, kissing the kitten's downy cheek.

Usagi couldn't help smiling as he watched. He had never known anyone quite like her before. She had such a gentle way about her, and he found himself wondering if that was part of the reason why the animals of this world seemed so drawn to her. He hadn't forgotten how she had charmed her vile kidnapper's rats clean away from him.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked.

"Besides new clothes?" she said as she bent to put the kitten down. "Not a thing. You've all been wonderful—yes, you too," she laughed as a small dog tugged playfully at her sleeve.

She went silent as she straightened again, a funny look crossing her face. Usagi frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Elizabeth gave herself a shake. "No. In fact, I'm a lot better than I thought I would be. Last night I was positive I wouldn't be laughing again for a long, long time. I didn't think I had anything left to be that happy about."

There was a faint flush in her cheeks, as if she was both embarrassed and pleased over being proven wrong. Usagi smiled, even though on the inside he felt a pang. It seemed wrong for someone so kind to suffer so much pain. "I am glad you are able to find a little joy here with us," he told her.

His smile must have gotten through his voice to her, because the petite human smiled in return. "Me too. Oh, and I was wondering...where's the kitchen? I know I was in there before, but I can't remember."

"First door on your left in the main hallway," Usagi explained. "But you need not cook while you are here."

"I kind of feel I have to," Elizabeth responded, "you've done so much for me already."

But Usagi was firm as he stopped her from leaving the room and started for the kitchen himself. "My lady, it would be both an honor and a delight to cook for you."

The small girl laughed again as she shook her head. "You keep that kind of talk up, and I'm going to..."

She stopped herself, her cheeks turning pink again. The furry samurai eyed her curiously. "Going to what?"

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

* * *

After he and the others got back from their rough night, Michelangelo lay awake in bed until the sun started to rise, then dragged his overtired body to the surface. He couldn't sleep until he was sure Lizzie was okay. As he rushed to the animal shelter, the events of last night kept playing in his head. He kept hearing the Rat King's words, bragging over the disgusting things he did.

It made him sick to think about it, and he felt even worse imagining how Lizzie must be feeling right now. He shook with rage every time his mind forced him to picture what she must have gone through. If only they had gotten there sooner...

If only he hadn't hurt her and made her run off in the first place. He realized now, now that it was much too late, that the second Kala ran into his arms he should have taken her aside and told her, as gently as he could, that he still cared about her, but...

"But I've fallen in love with a girl named Elizabeth," he whispered out loud, his eyes clouding.

He didn't dare ask her to forgive him now. Not when everything that had happened to her was basically his fault. He should have gone after her that night, no matter how scared he was of what she thought of him. He should have at the very least made sure she got home okay. Now, he didn't even know if going to see her was the right thing to do, but he forced his heavy feet up the front steps and knocked on the shelter's door.

As he was hastily drying his eyes, he heard a low, threatening growl on the other side of the door. It wasn't loud, but it was so vicious and eerie it gave him the chills. Had to be Hyena. Thank goodness Lizzie knew how to keep him calm.

But when the door opened, the only person Michelangelo saw was Usagi. Hyena stood at his heels, hackles raised and growls harsher than ever. Usagi gave the dog a warning look, but he didn't bother telling him to back off or to be quiet. Both rabbit and canine knew that Hyena wouldn't listen if he didn't feel like it.

Michelangelo kept his distance as he went inside. "How's Lizzie?" he asked, as Usagi closed the door.

"Better than she was," the white-furred samurai responded. "I made her breakfast a little while ago, and she has since gone back to sleep. No doubt she needs plenty of rest right now."

The young turtle's heart sank. "Oh. I better not stay, then. But when she wakes up, can you tell her that I stopped by?"

"Of course."

Usagi was studying him, and Michelangelo got the strangest feeling. Like the skilled lagomorph was seeing right through whatever walls he tried to put up before running over here. "You care for her deeply."

It wasn't a question. Michelangelo swallowed thickly and nodded. "Yeah. I do."

He forced the tears down and fumbled to take something he'd grabbed before he left from under his belt. "Can you give this to her? I'd feel better if she can contact us any time she needs to from now on. Just in case."

He passed the spare Turtle-com to Usagi, who looked it over curiously. "I will make sure she gets it. Do you have a message I could deliver for you as well?"

Michelangelo hesitated. He knew he should tell her what he wanted to say himself. But maybe, he decided, letting someone else say part of it wouldn't hurt. It might help ease him into things better...especially if it turned out she didn't want to see him right now.

"Tell her..."

The young ninja's voice caught in his throat, and even though he swallowed again, he couldn't keep back the tears anymore. "Tell her I'm so, so sorry for what I did. And tell her that I understand if she never wants to see me again. But please...make sure that she knows that I'm always here for her. No matter what."

* * *

Elizabeth woke up to a pillow dampened with tears. Sniffling, she sat up slowly and wiped her eyes, the images of her dreams still fresh in her mind. She had been dreaming about Frederick, of when he was still small enough to carry around in her pocket. They used to go for long walks together, listening to the voices of their fellow creatures, laughing at the weird insults birds flung at each other when they were fighting in the trees over who had dibs on building a nest on which branch.

She loved all animals, but she had loved Frederick the most. Sniffling again, she brushed her baggy sleeve over her tear-stained face—just as she heard soft footsteps out in the hall. She hastily finished drying her face and pushed back a tangle of curls that had pulled loose from her bun.

"I hope I am not disturbing you," said Usagi as he slid open the door to her room.

Elizabeth doubted it was possible for him to disturb anyone. He was the gentlest thing she had ever met on two legs. Despite that, she had learned during their escape last night that he was even more skilled than she had been led to believe. Swift, agile, a natural fighter. Yet he was as soft as he was strong. As gentle as he was fierce. A perfect balance of so many opposite things. The thought made her smile.

"I was already up. And I'm a little hungry again," she added apologetically. And after he'd made her such a big breakfast, too.

"As I said, I am delighted to cook for you." While he spoke, Usagi knelt beside her futon and cupped her hand. "Here."

He placed something cool and hard into her palm. Puzzled, Elizabeth examined the unfamiliar shape for a moment. "What is it?"

"Michelangelo came by a little while ago, while you were still asleep," said Usagi.

Upon hearing the name, the young girl fell quiet. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she was waiting for something. Waiting for what? Anything. A jolt of anger, or the flutter of excitement she used to get when she thought about the easy-going reptile. Instead, she felt nothing at all. Just an emptiness where the feelings she once had for him used to be.

As she drew her thumb over the grooves in the object still in her hand, realization dawned. "Oh—this is one of the devices they use to communicate with each other," she explained.

Knowing that she could get in touch with them if she really needed to was a comforting thought. Any security she could get right now was appreciated. "If he stops by again, tell him I said thank you."

There was a pause. "I believe he wishes to speak to you himself," Usagi's quiet voice told her. "But until then, he told me to tell you that he is sorry for what he did, and that even if you do not forgive him, he will always be there for you."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment. Then, as she slipped the Turtle-com under her pillow, she said, "If you see him again, tell him I accepted his apology."

"Will you not speak to him yourself?"

"I really don't have anything else to say."

Elizabeth half-expected Usagi to advise that she speak to Mikey face to face at least once more. But instead, he moved a little closer to her and cupped her hand again. A bundle of soft, folded material was handed to her, even softer and fresher-smelling than the robe he had given her to wear last night.

"I went out and purchased this for you," the rabbit told her, sounding uncertain—and a little embarrassed. Shopping for women's clothes probably wasn't something he felt comfortable with even though this particular neighborhood was brimming with Japanese shops and boutiques.

"I know very little of how women in this world dress, so I hope this will be acceptable."

His earnestness made her smile. "I'm sure it'll be fine," she said, unfolding the brand new outfit and standing up.

She expected to be left alone so she could change, but instead Usagi stood up with her and hovered close by. Clearing his throat, he handed her something else. "This is not the usual undergarment one wears beneath a yukata," he told her, sounding embarrassed again. "But I wanted for you to wear something modest while I show you the proper way to dress. I imagine it will seem a little tricky at first."

Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows in surprise. There hadn't been anything tricky about the robe—or yukata, as he'd called it—that she was already wearing. All she had done was fold over the extra fabric as well as she could and then tie it shut with the soft, rope-like cord.

"I'm sure I can manage," she said.

"Just the same, you will most likely need instruction on tying the himo for the first time."

"Himo?"

In response, several lengths of thin fabric were draped over her hand, along with a length of what felt like a wide band of satin. It was so long it tickled her bare toes as the end coiled on the floor.

"On second thought, I might need a hand after all."

The mysterious articles of clothing were taken from her until she was left holding what felt like a thin cotton shift. She was escorted to a corner of the room, where Usagi unfolded a small screen for privacy before beating a hasty retreat to the other side of the room. Elizabeth got undressed and slid the shift over her head; the neckline came up almost to the base of her throat, and the thin fabric felt cool and breezy. It reached her knees and seemed nice for a warm summer night, but it felt a little funny to be wearing nothing else as she stepped back out from behind the screen.

Her new yukata was passed back to her and she quickly slid it on, certain that she couldn't mess _that_ up. But as soon as she had folded the front shut, Usagi let out a chuckle. "The other way, my lady. Where I come from, you only fold the right side over the left when you are dressing the dead."

Elizabeth stopped, sure that the blank look she felt cross her face was impressive. "Are you serious?"

"Quite."

Flushing, she hastily switched things around the other way. Over the next few minutes, she was glad for Usagi's help after all; tying herself together securely was a lot more involved than she thought it would be, not to mention she wouldn't have had a clue what to do with the yards-long sash that went around her waist afterward—or as Usagi called it, the obi.

Learning it all had an added difficulty since she couldn't see, but the furred samurai was endlessly patient with her. He explained each step carefully, then took her hands and placed them where they needed to be. She was pretty sure she had mastered tying her himo in one go, but she didn't think she had quite gotten the obi down yet. It didn't worry her. She knew Usagi wouldn't mind at all if she asked.

After he had finished fashioning a bow, he twisted the obi around so the bow rested at the small of her back. "Make sure you never wear it in front," he warned.

Elizabeth's curious eyebrows went up again. "Why's that?"

Instead of giving her a clear answer, the rabbit hemmed and hawed for a minute before mumbling, "It is the only way that is proper. Trust me."

The topic quickly shifted to the proper way of folding Obento's yukata so they could put it back into storage. Kneeling on the floor together, Usagi took her fingers and traced them down each of the seams she was to fold along. It seemed complicated at first, but before long she had folded together a neat square of fabric that she was confident she could replicate when it came time to store her own yukata.

Pleased with herself, Elizabeth stood and smoothed her hands over the front of her new outfit. It was wonderfully soft, and even though it was a lot different from what she was used to wearing, she felt comfortable. "So, what do you think? Am I ready to face the world?"

Instead of chuckling and pronouncing her officially dressed, Usagi went quiet for a moment. Frowning, the young girl wished she could see his face so she could tell what part of all their careful tucking and arranging had gone wrong.

"I completely forgot," the lagomorph sighed. "I did not buy you any shoes."

"Oh." Elizabeth wiggled her bare toes. "Can I wear yours?" she joked.

Usagi apparently didn't joke when he felt bad about something, because he hurried out of the room and soon came back with a spare pair of his own wooden sandals. He was almost her exact height, and as she slid the footwear on she discovered that the rabbit's furry feet were only a little longer and a little wider than her own.

"I will buy you your own geta later," he promised.

"It's fine," Elizabeth assured him. "Really."

Smiling, she spread her arms out a little. "So? How do I look?"

There was another pause. Elizabeth was about ready to reach over and poke his face to see if he was smiling or grimacing. She heard a shifting, like the rabbit was shuffling his feet. "Honestly? You look lovely."

Elizabeth was sure he was only saying that to be nice. But she felt herself turn pink with pleasure just the same.


	13. Closer

Within only a short span of time, Usagi grew used to having Elizabeth around. In spite of all she had been through, her smile was like a ray of sunshine that warmed a room whenever she entered it. All the animals adored her, and she appeared perfectly content to care for and pamper each one of them. In fact, it seemed like there was nothing else she would rather do.

Early one evening, about a week after her first night with them, the gentle girl voiced a tentative question to Obento as they were finishing dinner. "I don't want to impose any more than I already have," she began, "but...if it's all right with everyone, I'd like to stay here permanently. I mean, I won't just loaf around," she quickly added. "I'll work hard every day, and if it turns out that it's not really a good idea after all, I'll—"

Obento raised a silencing hand. "My dear, you are more than welcome to stay. Having you with us has been a joy. You are free to remain here for as long as you want—or to remain here for always, if that is truly what you desire. I will not be around forever and it will put my heart at ease to know that someone as caring as you will take over in my place."

Tears of happiness sprouted in the young girl's eyes. Beaming, she threw her arms around the kindly caretaker's neck. "Thank you," she whispered.

Usagi smiled as he watched them, feeling pleased with this turn of events. Having Elizabeth around had breathed new life into the old shelter.

After releasing his master, she got up and started gathering their dishes from dinner. Usagi found himself admiring how the warm candlelight in the room was making her deep red hair glow.

For the first few days after her ordeal a hint of fear had lingered behind her eyes, but tonight, that fear was gone. She looked relaxed and content, almost like she was always meant to be in surroundings such as theirs. And she looked like she had grown quite comfortable with the yukata he had given her. The bright green of the cotton fabric, the cheerful floral pattern and the canary yellow obi suited a girl her age nicely.

Brushing back one of the curls that always worked their way loose from her neatly arranged bun, Elizabeth reached over to clear Usagi's place. The furry samurai quickly gathered his dishes and carefully passed them to her, cupping her soft hands as he placed them atop the other dishes she had collected.

The small girl smiled in gratitude before moving away from the table. Her cheeks still bore a flush of happiness over her new living arrangements, and as she carried the dishes out of the room to the kitchen, she hummed quietly to herself. She was so different from what Usagi was familiar with, what with her hairless skin and tiny ears. Yet if someone were to ask him to choose a word to describe her, he couldn't imagine choosing any word except beautiful.

Down the hall, he heard the click of Hyena's nails as he tracked Elizabeth to the kitchen, only for the petite human to firmly instruct him to go guard the front door—and to stay there for the rest of the night instead of nudging his way into her room, like he had done all this week. Hyena responded with a grumble that sounded like a complaint, but he obeyed her command.

Listening to them made Usagi chuckle. Sometimes, it was almost as if the two were actually talking to each other.

* * *

As Elizabeth settled down on her futon for the night, her sleepy thoughts were full of faint disbelief. Not because she had been given permission to stay here indefinitely (although she hadn't been completely sure that Obento would say yes) but because she felt so very happy right now. A week ago her heart had felt so battered and beaten, to the point where she had been sure it would never be filled with joy and laughter again.

And yet here she was. Finding new reasons to smile and be happy with her life every day. Moving here had been only a small adjustment for her, in spite of—or perhaps because of—not having any of her old things or clothes. A few days after her rescue she had, with help from Usagi, gone back to her apartment building to let her landlord know she wasn't dead or something. As she had suspected, she had already lost claim to her old apartment, and while the landlord told her that he had boxed up some of her things, that box had since walked off. All she was able to recover was her ID and a handful of cash.

Elizabeth hadn't minded. She couldn't imagine mixing her old life with her new one. Even though she couldn't see it, she wanted to keep the look of her new room the way it was. Her old things were just that: things. Things could be replaced. What she had found here in her new home was something that couldn't be bought. Starting over like this felt nothing but right.

In fact, there was only one thing (aside from Frederick, of course) that felt like it was missing. Though it had been brief and ended unhappily, she found there was still room in her heart for what she and Mikey used to share. She didn't really miss Mikey himself, but she definitely missed what they once had. Elizabeth doubted there was something more than friendship waiting for her in the future, yet there was a place for it inside her just the same.

Her mind lingered on this thought for a little while longer, until all her thoughts drifted away and she began to dream. She saw herself as a kid again, sitting on her mother's lap as they watched the sun go down together. She felt warm and safe and happy—and then she felt a hand closing around her throat.

Terror shot through her core and inky blackness enveloped her. She struggled against the hand that now had her pinned down to the ground, thrashing and kicking her feet, but nowhere in her muddled, foggy head did it occur to her that this was anything more than a nightmare. Not until she realized that her eyes were wide open and an all too familiar stench was filling her nose.

Her mouth opened to scream, but the hand was squeezing her throat too tightly. Another hand seized both of her fumbling wrists and pinned her arms above her head. Foul-smelling breath touched her face.

"You may have escaped my domain," a voice she had prayed she would never hear again hissed in her ear, "but you're still my queen, and you're still going to carry my heir!"

In spite of the anger in his tone, he wasn't making a whole lot of noise as he struggled to keep her thrashing under control, like he was deliberately trying to keep quiet. No doubt he knew any strange sounds that reached the ears of her new family would bring someone running to investigate—someone he didn't want to tangle with.

Elizabeth made darn sure she created as much noise as she could. She could only gasp weakly for breath as he continued to hold her throat, while at the same time she kept kicking at the torso looming over her as hard as she could. Each time her bare little feet struck either his hard chest or stomach, she felt like she might as well be kicking a wall, but she kicked and fought with all her might anyway. And the more she fought, she more she realized that she was far more angry than afraid. Her heart burned as her mind focused on a single thought.

Not again. Never again.

All her kicking didn't loosen his grip on her wrists, but it had him grunting in effort to keep her quiet and pinned to the floor. Finally, with a growl of irritation, he released her throat to grab one of her ankles. Elizabeth took her chance and screamed for Usagi at the top of her lungs.

A clammy hand slapped back over her mouth so hard she heard her neck pop. The impact was enough to daze her for a second, and when her head stopped spinning she felt a heavy weight bearing down on her, all but flattening her to the floor. Panic filled her and she screamed against the hand still covering her mouth, ready to bite and scratch like a wild animal if that was what she had to do to get out of this—but someone else did it for her.

There was a crashing, tearing sound as something came roaring through her thin bedroom door—literally. The small room suddenly filled with ferocious growling and snarling, and in the moments that followed, that was about all Elizabeth could hear. The hand holding her wrists suddenly let go and the weight pinning her down lifted as the Rat King recoiled with a cry as a very large, very angry dog slammed into him.

Amidst the snarling and exclamations of pain and the harsh snaps of Hyena's powerful jaws, Elizabeth rolled over and scrambled away, stopping when she bumped into one of the walls. She huddled there, shivering, as the fight behind her continued. A second later someone else joined in, someone who came running into the room on two legs.

The fight came to an end shortly after that. Elizabeth heard a heavy blow land, followed by the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air. There was a roar of pain and then she heard the retreat of heavy footsteps. The room abruptly went quiet except for the sound of Hyena's breathing as he panted.

He didn't say anything beyond releasing a snort of satisfaction as he left the room. Slowly, Elizabeth lifted her head, even though she knew nothing was going to change the level of darkness she saw. Her nose twitched; there was a funny smell in the room.

As she started easing away from the wall, her body still tense even though she knew that the danger had passed, she heard a quiet scrape of metal she guessed was Usagi putting his swords away. She noticed he was being awfully quiet—and suddenly she recognized the smell.

Blood.

Elizabeth fumbled around and stretched her hands out in the darkness. "Usagi?"

He hurried forward, his furry hands taking her own and clasping them reassuringly. "Are you all right?" Elizabeth asked, fresh panic filling her for a very different reason. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Usagi quickly told her. "I am fine."

He paused. "Are _you_ hurt?"

The small girl shook her head. She was so relieved she had gotten through tonight safely she started shaking. "I'm okay. He didn't..."

She couldn't even say it. Before she could stop it, a sob had bubbled up and escaped. She tried to hold them back, but before long her face was wet with tears. Usagi didn't say anything; he just put his arms around her and held her as she cried, his furred form warm and comforting. Sniffling, Elizabeth found herself feeling his hands and arms, needing to check for herself that he really was all right—that he hadn't been hurt because of her.

When she didn't find anything wrong, her fingers rested on his face. He knew that her hands served as her eyes now and didn't mind as she traced his round cheeks, his whiskers, his small nose. For some reason, reassuring herself that how he looked still matched how she remembered him—that her memories of things she used to be able to see weren't fading—made her feel better.

Sniffling again, she hugged him tight and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

Usagi gave a silent nod, squeezed her shoulder, then took her hand and gently coaxed her back to bed. After she was settled down on her futon again, he drew the blanket up to her chin before drying her tears. He then sat beside her and held her hand until the adrenaline-fueled tension in her started to relax. Her eyelids drifted shut and she slept.

* * *

After taking one last look around at the place he had called home for all these years, Leonardo pulled in a long breath and let it out slowly. "Looks like that's everything."

It had taken him over a week, but he finally had the last of his things moved out of the lair and into his and Lotus' new apartment. It was a job that probably could have been finished faster, but instead of loading everything he owned into the van and getting it all to the apartment quickly, he had ended up packing each item away one by one while taking countless walks down memory lane.

His brothers had shared each of those memories with him as they helped him pack, and a great deal of reminiscing, reflection, joke-swapping, and moments of quiet as they each thought about how that part of their lives was over now had passed before each box was finally sealed and carried to his new place a handful at a time.

Leonardo couldn't deny that he had deliberately dragged his feet, but he couldn't stall anymore. It was time to take this next big step in his life. He wasn't a kid anymore. He was an adult, and he needed to act like it.

He wasn't the only one who realized that his leaving made a deep impact on each of their lives—more so than if it was someone else.

"If you're moving out," Raphael began, his voice full of doubt, "who's going to be in charge around here?"

The blue-clad turtle took a look at the trio of grimaces facing him and couldn't help chuckling. "I'm sure you'll work it out."

Of the three of them, Michelangelo looked the most saddened. In fact, Leonardo hadn't seen him smile much lately. "You'll remember to visit, right?"

"Every chance I get. And I'll keep in touch when I'm not here. Contact me anytime you need me."

The ordinarily boisterous ninja nodded mutely. Leonardo reached over and gave his shoulder a brotherly squeeze. "Stay out of trouble, okay?" he advised teasingly.

After saying goodbye to Raphael and Donatello, he turned to Splinter, who had been watching them quietly. He smiled as his former student stood before him, but there was sadness behind his eyes. "I do not have any more wisdom to give to you, especially on this new path you have chosen. All I have left to say is that I could not be more proud of you."

Leonardo nodded solemnly and lowered his eyes. His throat felt tight all of a sudden. He knew that this was a step in his life that he needed to make—a step he wanted to make. He wanted to be with the woman he loved, and that meant leaving home. He knew that leaving would be difficult, but as he turned away and slowly walked out of the lair, it felt like he was leaving part of himself behind.

Up on the streets, the sun had already set and the lights of New York were ablaze in all their glory. Leonardo stayed away from them and kept to the shadows, feeling a lot more glum than he imagined he would as he made his way to his new home.

He climbed up the small apartment building via the fire escape and opened a side window of the place he and Lotus had picked out together. Inside, the female ninja had already started unpacking, the otherwise empty rooms cluttered with open cardboard boxes and a handful of furniture and decorations.

Lotus herself was in the living room hanging pictures. She had on a pale gray dress, and her feet were bare as she experimented with which picture she wanted to go above the sofa she brought with her from her old place. Hearing him come in, she set the frames she was holding down and hurried to put her arms around him.

"You are late," she said, her tone both scolding and playful.

Leonardo smiled faintly as he hugged her. "Am not. Ninjas are above things like time schedules."

"You should try telling that to my last few employers," she returned wryly.

She kissed his cheek with a chuckle before stepping back from his arms. Her eyes focused on the look on his face. A frown touched her lips. "Is something the matter? Your eyes are so sad."

He didn't bother denying it. He knew she'd understand. "Just a little homesick," he said quietly, smiling faintly again.

Her dark eyes filled with sympathy. Although something else crept into her expression as she reached for him again, something he couldn't quite name. "I know this will be an adjustment for you," she said, stroking the back of his head soothingly. "Perhaps my housewarming gift to you will help cheer you up."

Leonardo eyed her curiously as he laced his fingers at the small of her back. "You got me something?"

"More or less."

There was an almost smug look in her eyes now. Her expression was deliberately vague and mysterious as his own eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you up to something?"

His question made her laugh. He had never heard her laugh until they got together, and now he heard her laugh all the time. It was a sound he loved hearing...even if he suspected it was at his expense right now.

"You are so cute when you are being naive."

"Ummm...thanks?"

She laughed again, clearly enjoying his confusion. "My gift to you is me."

"Oh." His confusion didn't clear much. "Don't I already have you?"

"I have given you my heart, yes. Tonight I offer the rest of me."

"Oh," Leonardo said again—just before it finally hit him. "Oh..."

His face heated until he was sure he was redder than Raphael's bandana. "I, um, don't know how. I mean—I know how," he stammered, turning even more red. "I just never..."

Lotus silenced him with a gentle kiss. She then stepped back, reaching behind her to take his hands from her back and hold them firmly in her own. She continued moving back, leading him out of the living room and into their new bedroom. A bedroom that already had a double bed, draped in lush satin and silk.

"Do not be scared. I will show you how. I will show you everything."

* * *

Usagi could scarcely believe how careless he had been. With Hyena stationed at the door and the rest of them sleeping, it had been easy for the Rat King to gain entry through the window at the back of the hall and then locate Elizabeth's nearby room. Judging by how soon his intrusion happened after her escape, Usagi could only assume he had been searching for her the entire time.

With this in mind (and after a scolding to himself for not anticipating such a move) he started keeping watch outside Elizabeth's room each night. He positioned himself directly across from her repaired bedroom door and didn't budge until sunup. Naturally, this started taking a toll on his energy after a few days and he had to resort to taking naps.

If Elizabeth noticed this change in his daily routine, she didn't comment on it. Her own routine hadn't altered despite the unfortunate incident. She continued caring for the animals from the moment she woke each day, and after they were fed and groomed she would see to the handful of plants kept inside the shelter. She even began venturing out to the small space of land behind the shelter to help tend to their modest garden.

She clearly had a love for things that grew in the ground, be it trees or plants or things that blossomed. He hadn't forgotten the special place she had shared with him, the beautiful garden that had once brought them both such joy. But the gentle girl never mentioned it again, and Usagi made sure he didn't either. It had been ruined for them both.

Usagi had just woken up from a late morning nap one day when Elizabeth came scurrying in from outside. She smelled of open air and flowers in bloom and freshly watered soil. Her cheeks were pink from the warmth of the sun as she caught up with him.

"There you are," she said, sounding pleased that she had found him. "I've been looking all over for you."

Usagi didn't want to admit that he had been sleeping since breakfast, so instead he smiled and asked what she wanted.

Suddenly looking shy, the petite redhead felt for and gripped his hand. Her small fingers pressed something cool into his palm. "Here. I got this for you."

She let go with another smile, her long eyelashes brushing her cheeks as she ducked her head. Usagi lifted his hand and looked at what she had given him; a silver ring. It had a rather unusual shape, bearing what looked like a pair of hands cupping a heart capped with a small crown. The polished surface gleamed.

"It's a claddagh," Elizabeth explained, clasping her hands while he studied it. "They're an old Irish tradition."

"Very curious," said Usagi. "Does it symbolize something?"

"Three things: the hands represent friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart...well, you know."

Her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink as she shrugged and smiled. "I was mostly thinking about the friendship part. And loyalty. That's what you've been to me. My most loyal friend."

Usagi didn't know what to say—other than a heartfelt thank you. It was one of the most meaningful gifts he had ever been given. He felt both pleased and touched as he looked over the ring's size. It was too small for him to actually wear, but that was all right. He would find another way to keep it with him.

Elizabeth suddenly reached over and gave him a quick hug. "I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me," she said, looking shy again.

She flashed one last smile before turning away and heading back toward the garden. And as he watched her walk away, her sweet gift clutched tightly in his hand, Usagi realized just how much Elizabeth Cassidy had come to mean to him.


	14. Dark Dreams

Leonardo lay awake in bed one morning, head propped on his palm as he watched the woman sleeping peacefully at his side. He could hardly believe it, but it had already been a week since the two of them started their new life together. His pining for his old home was still there, but only a little. It had been buried under the unpacking, the deciding (and then changing their minds) where everything was going to go, and his brothers showing up on their doorstep whenever they felt like it so they could 'help.'

When they weren't busy setting up their apartment, he and Lotus would step out into the city, sharing intimate dinners and long walks in the park, just being together for the sake of being together. It was all like a dream he never thought would come true. At night, he would sometimes wake up to reach out and hold her, just to remind himself that she was real.

Admiring how her skin and hair looked in the morning light, he traced his fingertips along the curve of her face, marveling at how soft she felt to the touch. How beautiful she looked as she slept, her expression sweet as she dreamed.

She must have sensed his touch, because a smile spread across her face a few moments before her eyelids flickered and opened. Blinking sleepily, she gazed at him from her pillow. "Good morning."

Leonardo scooted closer and slid his arm around her bare waist as he peered lovingly into her eyes. "Morning," he returned, kissing her forehead.

Lotus covered a small yawn before reaching up to run her fingers over his cheek. Her eyes were still sleepy, but there was something pleased and satisfied in her expression as she smiled again. "You know," she said, her voice low in a way that sent a pleasant thrill through him, "for not knowing how, you certainly learned in a hurry."

"I had a good teacher," Leonardo responded simply, teasingly. "Plus I've been inspired."

"And continue to be," Lotus added wryly.

The young ninja merely smiled as he drew a hand over her dark hair. He tried not to think about it, but he couldn't help but be aware that if Lotus had experience, then she had a history from before they met. It was impossible not to feel a pang of jealousy at the idea, but he was able to assure himself that out of any man she had ever known, anyone she could have chosen to be with, she had chosen him.

He also couldn't help but try hard to please her better than anyone else ever had.

With a wry smile, he casually rolled her onto her back before taking her hands, sliding them up the silk sheets and holding them above her pillow. "I'm feeling a little 'inspired' this very minute," he noted, his low tone matching hers perfectly.

Lotus smirked at him as she slid one foot up and down the back of his leg. "Do you ever get tired?"

"I don't know. Let's find out."

* * *

Like he'd done almost every day for over a week, Michelangelo mounted the steps of the Far East Animal Society and stood at the top, facing the closed front door. Each time he tried to build up the courage to knock...and each time he retreated back down the steps and ran home. But today was going to be different. Today he was going in, no matter what.

A few days after he had given Usagi the spare Turtle-com to give to Lizzie, he went back to the shelter and the rabbit had told him, to his excited relief, that she had accepted his apology. Though he had been invited in, he decided not to stay; Lizzie was sleeping again. He wanted to come back when she was awake so they could finally talk.

He went back first thing the next day, but as he lifted his hand to knock, he suddenly lost his nerve. Just because she had forgiven him didn't mean she wanted to see him. Didn't mean she would let him back into her life, accept his feelings, return them.

Once or twice he considered beeping her new Turtle-com to test the waters—but no. He was going to do this face to face.

Jaw set in determination, he lifted his fist and knocked soundly. He immediately heard Hyena growling in his usual unfriendly way, but it was a couple of minutes before anyone came to open the door.

Usagi looked tired as he politely invited him inside. A little unhappy, too. "Are you here to see Miss Elizabeth?" he asked, sounding distracted.

Michelangelo nodded. "Uh-huh. I wanted to..."

The furry samurai frowned. "Now is not a good time. She has not been well."

Frowning along with him, the orange-clad turtle experienced pangs of worry and concern. He felt like running to her, taking her in his arms and comforting away whatever was bugging her. "Is she sick?"

Brow furrowed, Usagi didn't look him in the eye as he answered. "More or less. I understand how much you wish to see her, but...I must ask you to return another time."

Michelangelo nodded again, even though his heart sank in disappointment. "Okay. But can you tell her I was here? And..."

He glanced down at his feet. "And tell her I'm thinking about her."

* * *

Less than a minute after Usagi said goodbye to Michelangelo and closed the front door, a feminine scream cut through the air. It was brief, but it was enough to make the animals react unhappily. Hyena didn't move from his post by the door, though he flattened his ears against his head. With a quiet ache in his heart, Usagi hurried to the back of the shelter and into Elizabeth's room.

He found her sitting up in bed, dressed in the underclothes he gave her and her long curls loose and tangled around her small shoulders. She was hunched forward with her face buried in her hands, and while she wasn't crying this time, she was visibly trembling. He went and knelt beside her quietly, wordlessly letting her know he was there and ready to assist her any way he could but not disturbing her.

This started only last night, yet this was already the third time. He had been at his post outside Elizabeth's bedroom as usual when, to his shame, the weariness of sitting up each night finally caught up to him and he dozed off. It was her frightened cries that ripped him from his dreams, and he had immediately burst into her room with his swords drawn, ready to assail whatever threat was upon her. But it had only been a nightmare.

Calming her down had taken time, but eventually her tears subsided and he was able to coax her back to bed, where he held her hand and hoped she would fall back to sleep, but her sightless eyes had stayed open.

When morning came she didn't get up to join them for breakfast, so he had brewed the most soothing tea he knew how to make and brought it to her. She had only taken a few sips before pushing the teacup away and lying down again. Her appearance worried him; the color had gone from her freckled cheeks, and there were dark circles under her eyes. He suspected that she was coming down with an illness, which wouldn't surprise him. The environment she had been imprisoned in had not been a healthy one.

She had gradually fallen asleep and he had left her alone, only to come running a little while later as she cried out again. Now, she lay quietly and clutched at the blanket, swallowing thickly from time to time. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked more pale than ever.

"It was different this time," she suddenly whispered, her green eyes bright with unshed tears.

Usagi quickly reached for and took her hand, squeezing it tight as she swallowed thickly again. She had never said what her nightmares were about...but she didn't really need to. He could imagine all too easily.

"Everything was dark and I was all alone. I couldn't feel or hear anything, but I knew he was coming to get me. I kept calling for help—I called for everyone I ever knew. But no one came. I was so scared and I kept calling but no one came..."

More tears formed. She squeezed her eyes shut, her grip on his hand tightening. Usagi reached over to smooth back the curls clinging to her sweaty forehead. "It was only a dream," he reminded her gently. "You are safe now."

Elizabeth gave her head a small shake. "It felt so real. It was just like how I felt the whole time I was down there. I felt so alone and didn't think anyone was ever going to come for me. I thought I would never escape."

"But you are not alone," Usagi told her. "You were never truly alone."

The small girl grew quiet for a few minutes, her sightless eyes opening again, moist and unfocused. "I used to be," she murmured. "Ever since my mother died. I never had any real friends until I came here. Just Frederick."

He had heard her mention something like that once or twice, mostly in passing or to herself, but Usagi had a hard time believing it, and said so.

Instead of looking flattered, Elizabeth let out a bitter chuckle and let go of his hand. "I suppose that's because you haven't been around me that long."

"I do not see why that would ever change anything," Usagi said seriously. "Other than I will learn more about you and grow to care for you more than I already do."

He was trying to cheer her up, to make her smile, but instead her pretty lips frowned. "It's hard," she muttered. "I try and try, but it's almost impossible to keep track of the things I should and shouldn't know. It all gets jumbled in my head, and then one day I end up saying the wrong thing, or asking the wrong question. People look at you funny when you do that. They don't like it when they think you've somehow figured out their secrets. They get freaked out and start avoiding you like you're diseased."

It was Usagi's turn to frown. He had no idea what she was getting at, but he could tell from the way she closed her mouth tight that she wasn't going to say more. But based on what she had just said, he tried to make a guess. Knowing things she shouldn't know...?

"Are you trying to say you are clairvoyant?" he ventured.

Her grim expression softened in surprise. "Me? Not at all. I can barely handle the here and now, let alone have to deal with seeing the future."

"Then I am at a loss over what troubles you so," he admitted with a sigh.

"So am I. I don't know why I am the way I am, and I never told anyone—and I never will. Not even my mother knew."

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "I tried to tell her once. She thought I was just making up stories. That's when I figured out that no one else can do I what do. Before that, I thought it was normal. That it was something everybody learned how to do, as everyday as learning how to read or tie your shoes."

Usagi felt more perplexed than ever, but he didn't want to keep prying. Yet at the same time, he was growing more and more determined to unearth exactly what made the sweet girl so different from those like her—what made them shun her and bring her such sadness.

"I can see you do not want to tell me," he noted, "but suppose one day someone discovers your secret?"

The young redhead let out a quiet scoff and rolled so she faced away from him. She tugged the blanket up so it half-hid her curly head. "No one will," she mumbled. "They would really have to care about me to even bother trying."

"Suppose they did?" he pressed gently. "What then?"

Elizabeth was quiet for a long moment. "Then I guess I'll have finally found someone who really loves me."

She went silent after that. Usagi had a feeling he should probably let her be so she could rest, but he stayed where he was for a little longer, going over what she had just said. "What about me?" he asked quietly. "Do you know things about me, too?"

Elizabeth rolled onto her back again, blanket tucked under her chin. A smile ghosted across her lips. "Yes, Usagi. I know all about you. Little things. Big things. Funny things."

Her smile deepened. The furry samurai found himself edging closer, fairly bursting with curiosity now. "What kind of things?" he asked—even though what he really wanted to know was _how_ she knew these things. But she had made it clear that she wasn't going to tell.

Her forehead lined as she thought, and if nothing else, Usagi was glad they were having this conversation as it had gotten her mind off her nightmares. "Let's see...you like going out back and taking a walk through the garden right after it rains. Or while it rains, if it's only a light drizzle."

True enough. He enjoyed the smell of the soil and the gurgle it made as it drank up the falling moisture, but...

"That may be so, but anyone could—"

He shut his mouth so fast his teeth clacked together. His cheeks burned in embarrassment at his slip, but if the kind girl had figured out he was about to say 'anyone could see that,' she didn't say so.

Elizabeth was nibbling her bottom lip as she considered other things she could tell him about himself. "When the shelter is quiet, you like to go into the kitchen and experiment with Obento's tea collection," she continued.

"Also true," he allowed.

His master had an extensive supply of both whole and ground tea leaves, packed neatly in jars and other containers and stored all around the kitchen. Usagi liked opening the different jars and breathing in the unique fragrances within, and experimenting with different brews when he was in the mood to...but that wasn't really a secret, since he often brewed tea for both Obento and Elizabeth.

"That is not something that is hard to figure out," he said, as kindly as he could.

She smirked, as if she had been waiting for him to point that out. "Won't be convinced until I say something that nobody should know but you, huh? Okay. You don't like using the water closet since it's so small and makes you feel too vulnerable. So when you think no one is looking you sneak out to the garden and use the bushes."

For a second time, Usagi's cheeks burned. Given that he had been accustomed to traveling for many days between towns and villages in his home world, making use of nature felt more natural to him than anything else, especially when faced with the confusing developments made to plumbing in this world. Still, he took meticulous care that his actions were never discovered, in case Obento objected. That was something Elizabeth wouldn't know of even if she had her sight.

"All right," he mumbled, flustered. "You have convinced me."

The young girl tried not to smile as she folded her hands on her middle. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to embarrass you."

She covered a yawn before burrowing deeper under her blanket. "I'm getting tired again. Think I'll try to go back to sleep now."

"All right," Usagi said again, taking the hint. "If you need anything, just call."

He started to stand, then paused as he suddenly remembered something. "I had almost forgotten...Michelangelo came by a little while ago. He wanted to see you but I did not wish to disturb you."

After hesitating, he pushed himself to continue. "He told me to tell you that he thinks about you."

Elizabeth's eyes were closed as her fingers plucked a loose fiber in her blanket. "I've been thinking about him, too."

Something unpleasant tightened in Usagi's stomach. Absently, he reached up to place his hand on his chest. Through the fabric of his kimono, he fingered her gift to him, where it hung from a thin chain around his neck. Just beside his heart.

"It is probably not my place to say," he murmured, though he didn't want to keep speaking. "But I believe that he loves you."

Elizabeth didn't open her eyes. Her expression was vague, sleepy. "Uh-huh."

Such a response made him lift a furry eyebrow. "You do not feel the same?"

She shook her head. "No. I thought I did, but I don't."

Usagi knew he should be ashamed of himself over how much learning this made his heart soar. But all he could feel was relieved.


	15. Rejection and Reunion

When Elizabeth finally woke up from her nap, it was after sunset. She could tell it was dark out from the comfortable drop in temperature in her room, from how the animals in the shelter had quieted down, and from how the sounds outside had changed as the birds went to sleep and the night insects came out. Despite her many doubts, she was definitely getting used to not being able to see.

She should have been happy about it, and about the fact that she hadn't dreamed anything she could remember, but she had woken up to a painful scratchiness in her throat, and as she sat up a throbbing pain shot through her temples.

It made her want to lay right back down again, but there was something she needed to do, and after what Usagi told her before she fell asleep, she knew she couldn't put it off. Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out the Turtle-com and flipped it open.

She had no idea how to use it, but she was never setting foot in the sewers again, so she randomly pushed buttons until she heard a curious voice speak up over the annoying beeps she was making.

"Hello? Lizzie? Is that you?"

She'd know that voice anywhere. She recognized the happy tone he spoke with, too. It didn't make her eager to go through with this, but she took a breath and plunged ahead. "We need to talk. Can you come over?"

"Can I?" Michelangelo cried. "I'll be right there!"

He hung up before she had a chance to say anything else. With a sigh, Elizabeth pushed the blanket off and got to her feet. Her legs felt rubbery and she wobbled around for a minute, her throbbing head swimming. Getting her yukata on was a challenge, but she managed it, neatening her hair afterward. Tracing her fingers along the wall both as a guide and for balance, she left her bedroom.

As she navigated the hallway, she heard the soft sound of Usagi's footsteps. They came to a stop as she neared. "You should be in bed," the lagomorph told her, his voice full of concern.

She must look about as well as she felt. After covering a sudden cough, she said, "I called Michelangelo. I'm going to go talk to him outside."

"But you are ill," Usagi objected, his frown plain.

"I won't be long. Would you mind making me some tea in the meantime?"

She tried to smile persuasively, hoping that she didn't look scary instead. The furred samurai breathed a sigh, but his footsteps started in the direction of the kitchen. "It is almost time to start dinner," he noted. "Shall I prepare anything in particular for you?"

"Something with hot noodles," she decided. "Nothing spicy."

She continued on to the main room, where she bumped into Hyena—literally. "You look terrible," he told her as he moved out of the way of her stumbling feet.

Elizabeth covered another cough. "Thanks. I'm going out front for a minute. You wait here."

"The heck I will."

He followed her to the door and slipped out before she could close it. She could feel the weight of his eyes, silently daring her to tell him to go back inside as he parked himself at the top of the steps. Stifling a sigh, Elizabeth sat next to him and waited.

Through the door behind her, she could hear Usagi's voice, muffled and distant as he spoke to Obento—probably explaining where she had disappeared to. She smiled to herself; she loved listening to him talk. He had such a gentle voice, always speaking so softly. If it wasn't for her stupid nightmares, she would be sleeping better than ever right now. Yet at the same time, she knew she would almost be sorry when they stopped, since that would mean he wouldn't be holding her hand and murmuring softly to her until she was lulled back to sleep anymore.

Hyena suddenly rose to his feet. She quickly rested a hand on his neck. "Easy," she murmured.

She listened as rapid footsteps approached, mounting the stairs two at a time. Michelangelo's familiar scent greeted her as he sat beside her, his shell hitting the concrete step with a thump. His wariness was palpable, but Hyena wasn't going to agree to going back inside, so she gave him a firm nudge to get him to lay down before folding her hands in her lap.

"I have to tell you something."

"I do too," her ex-boyfriend said, a hint of excitement in his voice. Before she knew what he was doing, he had taken her hand and gripped it tightly in his own.

"Me first," she said quickly. "Please."

"Sure." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Go ahead."

He sure wasn't making this easy. Not that she thought it would be. As she took a breath before beginning, she actually felt glad that she couldn't see. She didn't want to have to watch the pain she knew she was about to bring to his face.

"I still care about you," she said in a quiet voice, "but I don't think we worked out very well as a couple. I think it's best if we just stick to being friends."

The steps fell silent. Michelangelo pulled his hand away. Inside the shelter, she could hear the voices of the animals, of Usagi and Obento as they chatted while preparing dinner. She wished this unhappy moment was over so she could hurry inside and join them.

"Is that really how you feel?"

Michelangelo's voice was strangely small and quiet. Disappointed. Hurt.

She made herself nod. "Yes. I'm sorry."

He got to his feet in a hurry. "Not your fault," he mumbled. "It's me who screwed up. I'll go."

Elizabeth rose and put a hand on his arm. "I know you didn't hurt me on purpose. I'm not mad at you."

She paused, then tried a small smile, even though she had a feeling he was looking away right now. "Do you think we can try being friends?"

"Sure," Mikey said quickly. "But...do you think maybe, someday, we can give being something more another chance?"

She had been afraid he would ask something like that. She pulled her hand away and returned it to her side. "I don't. I'm sorry."

The young ninja released a long, pain-filled sigh. "I understand," he whispered.

He left quickly, a lot quieter than he had come. Elizabeth went slowly back inside. Part of her felt sad that her one and only relationship was permanently over...but the rest of her was relieved that they'd had this conversation and she could move on. In her heart she knew she had made the right decision.

With her hand resting on Hyena's strong back, she joined her new family in the kitchen, where a delicious-smelling meal was already waiting for her.

* * *

After dinner was over and the dishes were washed, Elizabeth went to have a bath. Usagi stepped out back to take a stroll through the garden. He paused beneath a plum tree, tilting his head back as he pulled in a deep breath. Summer was drawing to a close and the nights were turning a little chillier. In the sky overhead, the stars twinkled and the moon was nearly full. So far as he could tell, the sky was one of the few things that was the same here as it was in his own world.

Thinking about it all of a sudden made him furrow his brow. He hadn't realized it, but this was the first time his thoughts had turned to his former home in many days. He knew he would always look back on it with a fond wistfulness, and part of him would always think of it as home, but there was a much bigger part of him that saw where he now stood as home—his true home.

There was a warmth here, a sense of welcome and acceptance that made it more of a home than any other place he had known. Those who lived here had become his family.

A sudden shriek from inside the shelter broke into his thoughts. His blood went cold as he spun around and ran in through the back door as fast as his feet could carry him. He expected to encounter Hyena along the way, running to his mistress' aid, but the hallways were empty. There was a commotion coming from the far end—from the bathroom, he realized with a chill. Not thinking twice about it, he ran to the closed door and shoved it open. "Elizabeth?"

There was a splash of water and a startled yelp. "What are you doing?" a stunned voice asked.

Usagi was busy scanning the small room for any threats. When he was satisfied that there wasn't any his gaze focused on the tub. He felt himself go red.

Elizabeth was sitting up in the tub, knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped modestly around her slender shoulders. Her curls were loose and tangled around her face, which was almost the same color as her flame-like hair.

"I heard you shout," Usagi faltered, dropping his eyes to the floor.

The young girl made a grumbling sound. "I couldn't help it," she muttered. "This naughty thing jumped on me even though I told him not to. Those claws aren't blunt, you know."

Sneaking a quick glance out of the corner of his eye, the samurai saw that the 'naughty thing' was a tiny white puppy. He was standing up in the tub with his front paws on the rim, dripping wet and looking quite pleased with himself. He let out a happy yip.

With another grumble, Elizabeth gently nudged the little creature with her foot. The puppy took the hint, hopping out of the tub with a whine. Usagi quickly scooped him up, even though his kimono was soon soaked through as the sodden animal wiggled in his arms.

"We will wait for you outside," he murmured, before beating a hasty retreat.

He grabbed a towel on his way out and tackled the chore of drying the rambunctious puppy off. The playful creature refused to hold still for a second, leaving him winded by the time he was done.

The puppy took off back to the bathroom as soon as he let go, giving a vigorous shake that left him looking like a white puffball. Elizabeth came out a minute later, wrapped in a plush bathing robe and blotting her damp hair with a towel. The puppy bounced at her feet.

"No," the redhead told him firmly. "You don't get to sleep next to me until you stop kicking so much."

The puppy left with a saddened whine. Elizabeth shook out her curls for a moment, then turned in Usagi's direction. There was a flush in her cheeks he suspected wasn't a result of her warm bath. "Sorry if I scared you," she murmured.

"It is all right," he told her. "As long as you are safe. I apologize for barging in on you like that."

Her flush deepened. Fingers worrying the towel in her hands, she slowly asked, "You didn't see anything...did you?"

"No," he said quickly. "Nothing of real importance."

She giggled at his choice of words, visibly relieved. "Good. I'm going to bed now. Goodnight, Usagi."

"Goodnight, my lady," Usagi said softly.

He watched her walk away until she turned the corner that led to her room and disappeared from sight. He then gathered the animals that were still up and either put them in their cages or firmly in their beds. It was late, and at his age Obento was usually asleep at this hour, so he made sure he was quiet as he put out the lights and confirmed that all the doors were locked.

Hyena was curled up by the front door, and after making one last round, Usagi went to lie down in his room. He only stayed there a little while before getting up and going to sit outside Elizabeth's room. After their last encounter, he suspected it would be a long time before the Rat King recovered from the wound he had given him, but it was going to be a while yet before he felt comfortable leaving the sweet girl's door unguarded. He also wanted to stay close in case she suffered another nightmare.

Several quiet hours went by, marked only by the muted sounds the animals made as they fidgeted in their sleep. He tried hard to keep his eyes open, but after covering yawn after yawn, they grew so heavy they closed on their own. His head sank forward until his chin touched his chest, and before long he started to dream.

Movement in the darkness roused him at one point, though not enough for him to open his eyes. He felt someone place a blanket around him, touch a hand to his face, then quietly tiptoe away.

* * *

The next morning, Elizabeth woke up with another headache. She also had a bad cough, a fever, and a throat so sore she could barely talk. When she didn't get up for breakfast, Usagi came to check on her. He took one look at her, felt her forehead, and quickly ran off.

He came back shortly with tea brewed with honey and a bowl of hot soup. Elizabeth felt so dizzy and shaky she had trouble sitting up, and her fingers decided to be so uncooperative she could barely hold the spoon he handed her.

Usagi was unwaveringly patient with her, helping steady her shaking hands and coaxing each drop to her mouth, until both the bowl and teacup were drained.

Elizabeth was touched—and annoyed. She hardly ever got sick, but it wasn't any mystery why she suddenly come down with something. The hard part was this was the first time she had gotten sick since losing her sight. It wasn't an experience she cared for one bit.

Since she could barely croak out a single intelligible word, she was forced to make hand gestures to get across what she was trying to say. Which wasn't an easy thing to do since she couldn't tell if anyone was looking at her at the time or not. On top of that, her headache was making a buzzing sound in her ears, making her feel like she had a bucket over her head. She could barely hear what was going on around her.

She spent the whole day in her room, leaving only to hobble to the toilet and back. Those trips aside, she did nothing but eat between frequent, lengthy naps. Usagi stayed by her side the entire time.

Once or twice she thought he had left, but every time she woke up from a nap, or started coughing, or just groaned unhappily, he would take her hand, or smooth back her hair, asking if she needed anything. Even though she could hardly talk, it never took him long to figure out if she wanted more tea, or needed help making another trip to the toilet, or just wanted to go back to sleep.

Outside her closed bedroom door, she could vaguely hear over the buzzing in her head that some of the animals—mostly puppies and kittens—were pacing the hallways. She could tell by the way they murmured to each other that they were worried about her. They probably would have nosed their way in by now, but at one point she heard Hyena growl that she needed to be left alone.

Elizabeth lost track of how many times she dozed off that day. She wasn't sure how many hours had gone by, but when she suddenly opened her eyes, the shelter was quiet. She felt better, but not enough to be able to tell if it was nighttime or if it was dawn already. Still, the buzzing in her ears had quieted a little. Enough for her to be able to hear that there was someone in the room with her, breathing softly.

She turned her head in the direction of the sound, easily picturing Usagi sitting a few feet from her futon. He probably had his arms folded and his legs crossed, head down as his dozed, ears drooping forward over his face. The image made her smile to herself.

Even in sleep, she knew he could spring up in less than an instant, swift and deadly as a cobra. Anytime she needed anything, anything at all, she knew that all she had to do was call. She knew she could always count on him to protect her. He was her gentle guardian. Her own rabbit bodyguard.

As the idea formed in her mind, part of her said not to let it, but it was too late. Even if it was only a subconscious thought, now that she had thought of him as being her own, she didn't want to think of him any other way. She wanted him to be hers. Hers and no one else's.

It was something she had been wanting for longer than she realized. And now that she had, her heart filled with feeling until it burned. It was a feeling that wouldn't stay inside; it escaped her small body in the form of a faint whisper.

"I love you, Usagi."

She heard a sudden movement. Like someone sitting up straight. "Did you say something?"

Elizabeth felt her sightless eyes go round as she quickly rolled over, tugging the blanket up over her mouth. Usagi wasn't sleeping after all. He was awake, and scooting closer. A hand rested on her arm. "Elizabeth?"

The young girl swallowed painfully, and not because she was sick. "Nothing," she mumbled.

She prayed he didn't actually hear what she said. That was just what she needed to do right now: ruin the best friendship she ever had by opening her big mouth.

Usagi leaned closer and laid his hand on her sweaty forehead. "You're shaking—was it another nightmare?"

Relief almost made her go limp. She slowly shook her head as her eyes closed. "No. It was only a dream."

* * *

Raphael let out a loud yawn as he left the movie theater and started down the empty street. He had deliberately waited out the rest of the audience to the midnight showing, yet in spite of how late it was, he was in no hurry to go home.

Life had changed for them all, even if Leonardo was the only one who moved out. But one turtle leaving had caused a sequence of change, like a snowball effect. None of them had wanted to step up and take the position of leader to their newly formed trio. They had already gone down that road in the past and knew they each stunk at it.

Sitting around leaderless wasn't a whole lot of fun. And even if he wasn't around, it was like they were still following Leonardo's lead. If one of them was going to leave home, maybe they all should.

That wasn't what Raphael wanted to do—not yet—but that was exactly what Donatello ended up doing. He hadn't officially moved out, but after days of restlessly wandering through museums and every other scientific location in New York he had already seen a dozen times, he packed his gear up, said a quick goodbye, and then snuck aboard a plane bound for an extended vacation in Europe.

A few short days later, Splinter decided it was time to leave for a meditative retreat. Raphael thought having the lair almost completely to himself would be a great time to kick back and relax, but this turned out to be harder than he thought it would. Being by himself so much was pretty boring, and Michelangelo was no help. He was too busy moping to be any fun.

It made the red-clad turtle miss simpler days, when he didn't have to worry about teasing his brother over a girl. He knew better than to stick his foot in his mouth now, now that the poor guy had a broken heart.

To keep out of his way and himself out of trouble, he spent as much time away from home as he could. Being alone topside wasn't much more fun that being alone at home; the quiet street he walked was dimly lit and empty.

And then he spotted someone, someone standing at the corner just ahead of him. Someone he felt like he should know.

She was dressed in a feminine, classy raincoat, colored a light gray. The hem almost reached her feet and the collar was pulled up, almost like she was trying to hide, but the brown ponytail at the back of her head was left visible. Raphael stopped and stared, feeling stunned.

"Monalisa?"

The figure whirled at his voice, hand clapping over her heart in surprise. Her dark eyes went wide. "Raphael? Is that really you?"

She looked as stunned as he felt. Not surprising; it had been ages since they last saw each other. Which wasn't how he had thought things would turn out, back when they used to see each other every chance they could. Back when he thought she might be his girlfriend someday.

But they had a fight—a bad one. By the time it was over the former human had stomped out of the lair and clear out of his life. He hadn't laid eyes on her since.

Funny thing, though...he couldn't remember why they had fought.

He took a shuffling step closer, trying to act casual. He slid his hands into the pockets of his own coat and shrugged. "Hi."

Her green mouth turned up in a small smile. "Hi," she echoed. "You look good."

Raphael thought her cheeks darkened a little as she said that. She, like him, was trying to keep her cool, but he could tell that she was happy to see him. With his own small smile, he took another step.

"So...what have you been up to?" he ventured.

It was her turn to shrug. "Not much. You?"

"Oh, you know how it is. Eat pizza, save the world. Lather, rinse, repeat."

Monalisa giggled. "Yeah, I know. But lately I bet you do a lot of the first and not much of the second."

"Guilty as charged."

He took another small step before standing still again. There was only a couple of inches between them now. Monalisa lowered her dark eyes and ran her long fingers through her thick bangs.

"You know," Raphael began slowly, "I can remember us yelling at each other, and you calling me an insufferable jerk and stomping away hard enough to crack the floor, but...I can't remember what we were fighting about."

Eyes still downcast, the young mutant gave a nervous laugh. "You know something? I can't either."

Raphael smiled broadly this time. Lifting her head, Monalisa did the same. "So...what else have you been up to?" she asked.

"Not a lot. You?"

"Same."

Still smiling, he turned his gaze to the vacant street, and to the light of nightspots in the distance. "Feel like doing not a lot together?"

She laughed and hooked her arm around his. "I'd love to."


	16. Renewal, Re-connection...and Love

After spending several days in bed, Elizabeth started showing signs of improvement. Her color slowly returned, her throat healed enough for her to talk clearly again, and she began to get up for each of her meals instead of eating in her room. She still avoided contact with the animals, just in case, as she put it, they were still at risk of getting her germs.

"You need to be careful too," she warned Usagi one morning during breakfast. "I don't want you ending up with everything I just got rid of. Not that I'd mind taking care of you, if you did," she added, her smile shy.

Usagi smiled at her over the teacup he was sipping from. "I am glad you are feeling better."

"Thanks to you."

She reached across the table to lightly pinch his nose before pushing back her chair and getting up. "Excuse me, gentleman," she said, as she hopped nimbly over Hyena, who was lying at her feet. "Nature calls."

Both dog and rabbit watched her leave the room, so accustomed to the layout of the shelter now she only reached out once to brush the door frame before leaving the kitchen. After she had gone, Hyena turned his head in the direction of the front door, let out a low, half-hearted 'woof,' then laid his head on his paws again. Usagi got up with a grin; that was the massive dog's signal that Obento was home.

As he was hurrying to the main room, there was a soft knock on the front door. "Coming, Master," he called.

"Thank you," the aging human said tiredly. Usagi helped him carry the many bags he brought with him to the storage room, then started putting the parcels and boxes of food on the shelves. He was just reaching above his head to place a small box of rodent food on a high shelf when a startled cry rang out.

He spun and ran out of the storage room, barely noticing as he knocked over a pile of bags in his haste. "Elizabeth?" he called in alarm.

No one answered, so he quickly followed the direction the sound came from and soon found himself standing outside the bathroom door. He hadn't forgotten what happened the last time the young girl's cry led him here...but worry outweighed the potential for embarrassment. Still, he opened the door a crack and peeked inside first, just in case he was wrong.

He saw Elizabeth standing in front of the sink, her fingers gripping the edge of the basin so hard her knuckles had gone white. She was gaping at the small mirror that hung over the sink.

Frowning in puzzlement, Usagi nudged the door open wider and stepped inside. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

The small girl leaned closer to the mirror, reaching up to touch her fingertips to her cheek. She looked stunned. "I was washing my face," she said faintly. "All of a sudden I felt this pain behind my eyes, and when I looked up, I could see."

Usagi stepped farther into the room in surprise. "Truly?"

Elizabeth let out a laugh, her eyes shining with excitement. "Sure gave me a shock."

She turned from the mirror and smiled at him. "Did I scare you again? Sorry."

Her expression softened as her bright green eyes traveled over him from head to toe. She suddenly let out a giggle. "You're even cuter than I remember."

Usagi flushed. "Thank you," he mumbled.

Grinning, the young girl darted forward and threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. "I'm glad I met you, Usagi," she said, her voice muffled by the fur of his throat. "It's wonderful having someone like you as a friend."

The lagomorph smiled as he hugged her in return, pleased at the thought of having her friendship. Yet at the same time, as the pressure of their embrace caused her gift to press against his chest, just over his heart, he couldn't help but remember how that silver ring signified something else. Something his heart was quite open to.

* * *

Near the back of a big ice cream shop that was almost empty thanks to the early hour, Raphael stifled a belch before relaxing in his padded seat. On the other side of the glossy booth, Monalisa was polishing off the last of her float. Ever since their unexpected reunion the other night, they had done nothing but talk, catching each other up on their lives from the last time they spoke. He had many a life-threatening exploit to boast about, while the female mutant explained that she had spent most of her time traveling around neighboring states. Her goal had been to visit landmarks, libraries, museums, and any other place she could cull knowledge from, since she couldn't exactly go back to college and finish her studies.

"What brings you back to New York?" wondered Raphael.

Monalisa lowered her eyes, absently stirring the remains of her float with her straw. "My parents. It's taken me a long, long time, but I think I've finally built up the courage to see them."

Raphael didn't wonder why the idea of reuniting with them made her nervous. "Have you contacted them since..." He gestured vaguely to her jade-green skin, almost hidden under her raincoat. "Y'know."

The former human shook her head, eyes still on her float. "No. I'm not sure if word got out about what happened to my classmates and I that day, but they probably figured out on their own that I was kidnapped. Only they're searching for a girl with normal skin and ten fingers and ten toes."

She sank back in her seat and lifted her hands. "Not this."

Blunt nose wrinkled in distaste, she wiggled each of her fingers; eight slender, lightly webbed digits.

Raphael looked at the same things she was looking at and smiled. "I've said it before...I think you're pretty cute. Even though I can never tell if you're more mammal than reptile or the other way around."

Monalisa smirked before sliding out of their booth. "Thanks. Coming from you, that means a lot."

She tweaked his nose. "I was thinking about going over to see them today. You want to come along?"

He smiled again. "You bet."

* * *

After roaming around the shelter for a while, drinking in every sight she could, Elizabeth went out back to take a stroll through the little garden. It was probably her imagination, but she would swear that all her other senses felt heightened, that the air smelled fresher and sweeter than ever, that birdsong sounded more musical, that the brush of bark and leaves felt more pronounced. She spent the rest of the day getting reacquainted with all the plants and trees she had only known by touch until now.

Her animal friends soon figured out her happy news, and before long she had a small herd of birds, rabbits, mice and a few other little creatures following at her heels, chirping merrily as they shared her joy.

It was wonderful to be able to see all their faces again. She wasn't sure how her vision had come back—or even if it was permanent. She sure hoped it was. Regardless of what happened, she didn't want to take even the smallest sight for granted again. Her eyes caressed every blossom at her feet, combed over each bed of moss. The afternoon wore on and a gentle rainfall came and went, but she stayed outside, watching the droplets dampen the ground and drip off leaves.

It was early in the evening and Elizabeth had taken a seat on the back steps when a perky sparrow suddenly flew over to the back window, perching on the ledge as she peered inside. "That two-legged bunny is coming," she commented.

A chubby mouse bounded up the short wooden steps and sat by her hand. "He sure seems to like you," he said.

"Do you like him, too?" wondered a robin.

"Are you going to marry him?" asked a squirrel eagerly.

The young girl blushed and laughed. "Guys, come on..."

The back door opened. Elizabeth quickly ducked her head, glad she had decided to leave her hair down today. Her mane of curls hid the red staining her freckled cheeks.

Near her bare feet, a trio of birds were perched on her sandals where she had left them by a fern. They were whispering to each other so fast she couldn't understand them. As Usagi came closer, the mouse let out a squeak and took off. The rabbit samurai sat down in his place.

"Tonight is going to be lovely," he noted, his blue eyes lifting to the darkening sky.

Elizabeth looked up at the wispy streaks of cirrus clouds, lightly dusted with pink, rose, and hints of red and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. "And you don't have to describe it to me anymore," she added with a smile.

"No," Usagi allowed, "but I never minded. I am very glad of your recovery, though."

She smiled again and reached to give his hand a squeeze. "Thanks. You're sweet."

And kind, she added mentally. And thoughtful. And caring. The list went on and on and on. She flushed and drew her hand away.

After sitting in silence for several minutes, watching the sky together, Usagi turned to her. With a soft smile, he reached over and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "You look very pretty with your hair down like that," he told her.

Elizabeth's cheeks warmed yet again. Her heart started thumping in her ears. "Thank you," she murmured.

The robin from earlier flew up and landed on the branch of a tiny plum tree growing near the steps. "Kiss him," she ordered, giggling.

"Jade!" Elizabeth cried, shocked.

The naughty bird giggled again and flew away. Usagi's forehead lined in confusion. "Jade?" he repeated.

"The robin," she faltered. "Her name is Jade."

Usagi continued to look puzzled, and Elizabeth couldn't blame him. More than once he had commented on her habit of naming every creature she came across. What he didn't know was that she never named any of them. She just asked for the name they already had.

At her feet, the squirrel and mouse were exchanging glances. "Looks like they're going to have a talk," the squirrel whispered.

"We should give them privacy," the mouse whispered back.

Word quickly spread to the rest of the group, and before long the small herd had dispersed, either scampering away or flying off. They weren't quiet about it. "Let us know how it went in the morning," the sparrow called.

"And don't forget to kiss him!" yelled Jade.

Even though Usagi couldn't understand her, Elizabeth hid her face behind her hand and waited until the shouts and giggles had faded into the distance before lowering her hand again. Beside her, Usagi had his eyes squinted at her a little, like he was trying to make out something important.

"You understand them," he said suddenly.

Elizabeth's heart turned over. "What?"

"The animals. They speak their own language in this world, one even a fellow creature like me does not understand, but you do. You must—that is how you are able to learn so much about those around you, is it not?"

For one brief moment, Elizabeth was horrified. In her mind flashed memories of all the pain her unusual skill had caused her over the years. Coldness from her classmates, whispers behind her back and wary looks from her coworkers, outright aggressive behavior from people like Eric. The frown her own mother had given her when she thought she was just making up a childish yarn—which all led her to make a silent promise to herself never to tell a single one of her fellow humans what she could do. Only the animals could know, because only the animals understood.

Then her frightened eyes focused on Usagi's face. Her fear evaporated. Usagi wasn't looking at her with doubt, or suspicion, or like she was a freak because she could do something no one else could do. He was only curious—and pleased. He was pleased with himself for figuring out her secret. And pleased that he got to share in it.

Her eyes clouded, blurring her vision; she quickly looked down at her lap. Usagi rested a hand on her arm. "Elizabeth? I am sorry...I was not trying to upset you."

She quickly gave her head a shake. "I'm not upset. I'm happy. I just realized all over again how happy I am to be here. This is my home. This was always meant to be my home."

She was free to be herself here like nowhere else. And it wasn't just the place...it was the people. She knew exactly which person she wanted to share her secret with, all the happiness she felt right now, who she had been in the past, and everything she might be in the future. She knew where she belonged now, and she knew who she wanted to belong to.

Still uncertain of exactly where her thoughts were, Usagi reached over to tenderly dry the dampness in her eyes. "It is a wonderful gift," he ventured. "Something to be proud of."

 _Proud_ , she repeated silently to herself. She didn't think she ever felt that way about what she could do before, but looking back now on all the ways her gift had helped her throughout her life, she knew it was wrong to feel any other way. She thought about all the furry and feathered faces that had been her close friends all these years, all the different ways they had helped her, and felt her heart brim with love.

They weren't the only thing her heart was brimming with love for. She lifted her head and turned to the rabbit sitting beside her, his face still etched with concern. He was right; her gift was something to be proud of. And something you were proud of shouldn't be hidden. She made up her mind then and there that she wasn't going to waste time hiding anything anymore—including her feelings. Even if he didn't feel the same way, she wanted him to know. She wanted him to know how special he was in her eyes.

Before she could lose her nerve, she scooted closer and put her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder, pressing her face against his neck, taking in his unique scent. He always smelled so fresh, as clean and good as a warm summer breeze. She tightened her arms.

"Thank you," she whispered.

His arms went around her in return, one furry hand resting on her curls. "For what?" he asked softly.

"For figuring out my secret. For helping me see that it really is a gift. For always being so good to me."

Her heart was thumping again, so hard and fast she was sure he could feel it. "I love you, Usagi. I love you."

She held her breath, waiting for him to squirm, to pull away. To say in embarrassment that he cared for her as a friend, but nothing more.

Instead, his arms tightened around her, his face pressing into her curls. "My lady," he murmured. "My sweet Elizabeth. I feel the same."

For a second Elizabeth felt like crying 'really?!' but instead she let out a joyous laugh and hugged him even tighter. Today had been an absolutely amazing day. Between getting her sight back and this, life felt downright surreal right now. She didn't think she could possibly feel happier.

Usagi looked like he felt the same way, his fuzzy white face beaming as he smoothed her hair back and nuzzled her cheek with his downy nose. "I was drawn to you right from the start," he told her, as he ran his fingers over her curls. "You are unlike anyone I have ever met."

"I thought the exact same thing," said Elizabeth, her face still nestled against his neck. "I've always felt so safe when I'm with you. So comfortable. I knew I never had to worry about what you thought of me."

The furry samurai cupped her chin and lifted her face. "You do not need to worry about what anyone thinks, you know," he said, his tone gentle but firm.

Elizabeth gave a small nod, her eyes staying locked with his. "I think I've finally figured that out, thanks to you. I'm not going to let what others think get me down again. I have everything I need to keep me happy for the rest of my life right here."

"I know just how you feel," said Usagi, as she settled comfortably against him, content. "As though I have found something I have always been searching for. I know now that I have always belonged right here with you."

Hearing him say that made her heart soar. She was pretty sure her smile was dazzling as she lifted his hand and rubbed her cheek against it. Smiling, Usagi brushed his thumb over her face. The fuzzy digit traveled to her lips, slowly tracing their outline.

Elizabeth recognized the look in his blue eyes and shied away—reluctantly. Very reluctantly. "I might still have cold germs," she explained as he gave her a questioning—and disappointed—look.

Instead of pulling away, Usagi moved closer, cupping her face in his soft hands. His smile was slightly mischievous. "I am willing to chance it."


	17. Lost and Found

Monalisa was so nervous about finally seeing her parents after so long, she procrastinated about going over there until sunset. Raphael practically had to drag her up the driveway. The house her family lived in was a small place in a small neighborhood, with a second story, a brick porch, a well-kept garden next to the porch, and two sedans parked in the nearby garage.

As they mounted the porch steps, he could see a dining room through the bay window off to his right, half-hidden by a row of potted plants lined up on the inner sill. A pretty middle-aged woman with short brown hair was clearing the table, a smile on her face and laughter in her blue eyes over something someone just said. At the table was an unhappy-looking boy of around ten, grimacing as he poked at an untouched mound of vegetables on his plate.

Monalisa gave herself a shake and tugged at her collar. "Ready?"

"Uh-huh," Raphael said calmly. "You?"

The former human made a strangled sound he wasn't sure meant yes or no. She reached up and knocked with the brass knocker hanging on the pale yellow door.

Footsteps sounded inside, and then a man with dark hair and gentle eyes opened the door. His kindly expression turned to one of shock when he saw who—and what—was standing on his doorstep. His aging face lined further with a scowl.

"What do you want?" he asked shortly.

Monalisa swallowed thickly. "Dad," she mumbled, so quietly Raphael barely heard her.

"What's going on, honey?" called a voice from the dining room.

"Nothing, dear," Monalisa's father called back. "It's just one of those mutant turtle things, and..." His eyes flicked to his daughter. "I'm not sure what else."

His wife peered into the entryway. "Well, what are they doing here?" she asked, sounding nervous.

The little boy ran past her and wedged himself next to his father in the doorway. "A ninja turtle?" he exclaimed. "Cool! You guys are my heroes! Can I have your autograph?"

"Henry, get back inside," his father ordered.

"Awww, Dad..."

His mother hurried over and scooped him into her arms. She started to head back inside, but as she turned away her eye fell on the slender figure standing next to Raphael. She paused, her face lining with a puzzled frown.

Monalisa was in tears. "Mom..."

The woman drew back, frowning harder. "What did you say?"

"It's me, Mom," the female mutant repeated, louder this time. "It's Mona."

Her mother took another step back. Henry stared from her arms, eyes wide.

"That's not funny," her father said darkly. "I don't know who you are, or what kind of joke you think you're playing, but—"

"Our Mona is a beautiful young woman," his wife cut in angrily. "And we don't know where she is, or if she's even alive, or—"

She stopped herself and spun away with an unhappy sound, close to tears herself. "Please, just go away!"

"But _Mooooom_!" wailed Henry as she rushed off to another part of the house.

"You heard her," said Monalisa's father hoarsely. "Now get out of here before I call the police."

He shut the door and latched it with deliberate force. Monalisa turned and sank against Raphael, burying her face in his shoulder as she broke down and sobbed.

* * *

With a sigh of contentment, Leonardo folded his arms under his head and let his eyes wander his new bedroom. The apartment was finally fully furnished and decorated—though Lotus continued to add little touches here and there. She had good—if expensive—taste. She also liked decorating with a blend of modern and traditional Japanese style, which was just fine with him.

Reflecting both their personalities, the apartment was mostly colored in shades of blue and gray. Lotus liked soft colors, so the bedroom had ivory walls and very pale blue carpet. The bed he was relaxing on was dressed in rose silk sheets, with a satin coverlet on top. It was lavender and covered in embroidered white flowers.

It was a calm, lazy Sunday evening—so it took the relaxed young turtle by surprise when the love of his life suddenly strolled into the bedroom dressed in her 'work clothes.'

"What are you up to?" he asked warily, as Lotus adjusted her mask before pulling open a drawer in her vanity table. She took out a red velvet box—only instead of jewelry, it was packed with deadly-looking shuriken. She selected a few and started hiding them on her person, which already looked like it packed a heavy arsenal.

"There is a rumor out tonight that a group of wanted criminals are looking to pull a big heist," she explained casually.

"Oh." Leonardo smiled wryly as he sat up and watched her finish getting herself ready. "So, does this mean you're a ninja-slash-bounty hunter now?"

"Everyone needs a hobby."

Her eyes, the only thing visible above her mask, creased with a loving smile as she turned to him. She brushed her gloved hand affectionately down his cheek, then left the bedroom via the open window and disappeared into the night. Leonardo was tempted to keep an eye on her, but he knew she could take care of herself. He had already done a patrol of the streets earlier, so he didn't have much else to fill his evening with. The small apartment could get a little lonely without the one he loved in it.

The obvious solution was to head down to the place he used to call home and see what his brothers were up to. Only when he got there a little while later, the only one around was Michelangelo. The ordinarily perky turtle was sitting slumped on the couch, head on his palm as he randomly pushed buttons on the remote in his other hand, surfing a sea of jumbled images on the TV.

"Hey," he greeted dully.

"Uhhh, hey," Leonardo returned. With a frown, he looked around at the empty, unusually quiet room. "Where...?"

"Flew off to Europe to do nerd stuff, out meditating, probably at a movie."

"Oh."

The former leader went quiet as he studied his gloomy brother. He looked so unlike himself. There was no trace of his usual spark of vitality, no hint of the care-free thrill-seeker he had known all these years.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

Michelangelo sighed heavily and switched off the TV. "Nothing to talk about," he mumbled. "I screwed up, she forgave me, but she doesn't want me anymore."

"I'm sorry," Leonardo said uncertainly. "I know you really cared about her, but...there are other girls."

"Not like Elizabeth. She was special."

"Maybe. Or maybe she just wasn't the girl for you."

The orange-clad turtle lifted his head to glare at him. "And how would you know?" he challenged. "If I had made it clear from the start that she was the one for me instead of blowing it like I did, we'd still be together."

His hard gaze wavered, doubt filling his eyes despite the conviction he just spoke with. "Wouldn't we?"

Leonardo shrugged. "Who knows? There's no way you can know for sure what would have happened between the two of you. Maybe you would have broken up over something else. And even if she gave you another chance, who can say if things would work out the second time around?"

Michelangelo let out a groan and slumped further on the couch. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"I think it's time you let her go," his brother told him, as gently as he could.

This earned him another glare. "Like you did with Lotus?"

His tone was accusing, but Leonardo ignored it. "Yes. You know what they say about letting go of something you love. I let Lotus go more than once, and I waited, and hoped, and finally she came back to me. I know now that she's mine. And I know it isn't easy, but..."

The blue-clad turtle trailed off with a frown, listening hard. Off in an outer corridor, he could hear someone crying. Someone who was coming steadily closer. There were two sets of footsteps, so whoever was crying had someone with them. Leonardo turned and watched the doorway; a minute or so later Raphael walked in, his arm wrapped protectively around the small figure at his side. Leonardo stepped forward in surprise. "Monalisa?"

Raphael looked tired as he paused, rubbing a consoling hand up and down the stricken girl's arm. "We've had kind of a rough night. Can she sleep here for now?"

Michelangelo was already jumping up from the couch and straightening the cushions. "I'll go find a spare blanket," Leonardo offered, after taking her coat.

Before long, Monalisa was curled up on the couch, wrapped up tightly in a downy blanket and sniffling frequently as she fell into a fitful sleep. The rest of them tiptoed to the kitchen so they wouldn't disturb her.

"What happened?" Michelangelo wondered as the three of them sat at the table and each popped open a can of soda.

"We went to see her parents," Raphael explained with a sigh. "She hasn't seen them since before...you know."

"I take it things didn't go very well," said Leonardo, full of sympathy.

"To put it mildly."

They sat and sipped in silence for a while. The unhappy mutant in the next room went on sleeping, and when it started to grow late, Leonardo stood and stretched. "I better get home. Call if you need anything."

Raphael nodded mutely, his glum expression matching Michelangelo's. The former leader sure hoped they both found a reason to cheer up soon.

* * *

When she woke up the next morning, Elizabeth felt so light and happy, for a second she thought she was having a dream about floating on a fluffy cloud. The feelings of happiness stayed even after she realized she was fully awake, and for a minute she couldn't remember why—and then her eyes opened and focused on her bedroom.

Like yesterday, seeing the world jump into crystal clarity startled her at first. Then she sat up with a smile, taking in the sight of the small room that was all her own. Like the rest of the shelter, it was designed in a traditional Japanese style, with pale brown-green walls and stark black-and-white rice paper screens for her door...which had to be replaced after Hyena broke through them the other night. Not that she had complained.

Behind where she slept on the tatami floor was a wide closet, where she placed her rolled up futon on a shelf during the day. To her right, next to the door, there was a small alcove in the wall, long and shallow and with a low shelf near the floor. There was a handful of decorations on it, the only ones in the room.

That was about it, other than the privacy screen in the corner, a chest of drawers to her left and a low table off to one side, each made in a rich, dark wood that matched the beams in the walls and the frame around the closest. All in all the room was pretty plain, which she didn't mind, but now that this was going to be her home for good, she kind of wanted to add her own touches.

But there was time to think about that later. Because all at once memories from last night came rushing back to her, reminding her that her sight returning wasn't the only reason she was so happy right now.

Looking back on last night was like a dream—a sweet, sweet dream. Usagi knew her secret. Usagi knew her feelings. And Usagi returned those feelings.

That was wonderful all on its own...but then there was that kiss they shared. Just thinking about it sent a quiet thrill through her. Sure, she had been kissed before, but...not like that. Not until she felt like all her senses were on fire and she was glowing like a star.

Afterward he had held her to him, cradling her in his arms as he stroked her hair. She had gladly snuggled against him, breathing in his unique scent as she shared his subtle warmth.

After sitting in silence together for a while, she built up the nerve to kiss him back. It didn't take long for her to fall completely in love with the feel of their mouths together, fur against skin. It was intoxicating—addictive. They probably would have happily stayed out there all night, exchanging kisses and cuddling, but it started raining again. Laughing, they ran inside together, and then Usagi reminded her that she was just getting over being sick and sent her off to bed.

She was so giddy she never thought she'd get to sleep, but she had, and now she hopped out of bed, eager to see what the day had in store for her.

After putting her futon away and tying on her yukata (she didn't have the heart to tell Usagi but she actually wasn't crazy about how bold the colors were) she went and stood in front of the back window, basking in the warm glow of the morning sun. She stretched her hands up to the light, watching how it made the red hairs on her wrists glitter. She was even glad to see flecks of dust floating in the sunbeam.

Grinning, Elizabeth turned and all but skipped down the hall to the room a ways down from her own. When she peeked inside, she saw that Obento was already up for the day, but Usagi was still asleep. Considering how he had stayed up so many nights watching over her, she couldn't blame him for sleeping a little late.

He looked so peaceful she felt guilty about waking him up, but she couldn't help herself. Bubbling over with affection, she tiptoed across the tatami floor and knelt beside Usagi's futon. Brushing her hand over his soft forehead, she bent to touch her lips to his closed eyes, his nose, then pressed a kiss to his mouth.

When she straightened up again, his eyes blinked open. "If this is what will wake me, I should sleep late every day," he joked.

Elizabeth giggled and pulled him out of bed. "Come on, I'm making you breakfast today."

In the kitchen, she put a kettle on the stove before taking out various ingredients from the cabinets and fridge, planning on making one of the meals she had learned since moving here. Usagi sat quietly at the table as he watched her, but from the way he kept fidgeting, Elizabeth could tell he wanted to say something.

"What's up?" she asked, her tone playful. "C'mon, you can tell me."

Usagi fidgeted again, looking embarrassed that she had noticed. "Oh—nothing. I was just thinking that it has been a long time since I had pizza."

Elizabeth stopped opening the bag of rice she got out and looked at him blankly for a moment. She let out a laugh and shook her head. "I shouldn't be surprised—those guys try to convert everyone they meet. Good thing I never told them I know how to hand-toss. I'd be turned into a permanent addition of their kitchen."

Chuckling, she started hunting for pizza ingredients—or in some cases, a dubious substitute. Another problem she faced was that Obento was old-fashioned and didn't exactly have what she would call a modern kitchen. The only electric appliance was the refrigerator, and there wasn't an oven.

She made do with what she had, whipping together something personal-sized, then baked it over open flame. She uncertainly served it to Usagi with a cup of tea; he looked quite pleased and crunched noisily. Satisfied, Elizabeth started on her original meal for her and Obento.

Later, after breakfast was finished and the dishes were washed, Elizabeth felt like going outside, and not just out to the garden. She hadn't had a real day out since she escaped from being imprisoned in the sewers.

"Let's go out for a walk," she suggested eagerly.

"Like where?" Usagi wondered.

Elizabeth wanted to go someplace where it would be nice to spend time with someone you cared about, but date spots weren't really something she was familiar with. She hadn't forgotten all the places she used to go to with Mikey...but going to any of them with Usagi would feel funny.

After puzzling over it for a few minutes, she brightened as something dawned on her. Something she hadn't seen in so long she had almost forgotten about it. "I know somewhere we can go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the story I decided her real name is Mona while Monalisa is a nickname she gave herself after being mutated. Just because.


	18. Pain, Joy, and Longing

"Are you sure this is enough of a disguise?" Usagi wondered doubtfully.

Elizabeth looked him over with a giggle. "It's perfect," she assured him. "You look cute."

"If you say so."

Before the two of them left for their day out together, Elizabeth had taken the money she managed to recover from her former home and ran off by herself, saying that she was going to do some quick shopping first. She came back with new jeans and sneakers for herself and a dark blue garment for him to wear in place of his usual kimono—just for today, she said. It bore a hood that concealed his ears and closed in front with one of those metallic devices known as a zipper. Elizabeth referred to the whole affair as a 'hooded sweatshirt.'

After leaving the shelter, they walked together to another section of the large city, a quiet area set apart from the noise and bustle of downtown. They entered a wide, open park full of groves of rustling trees and lined with dirt paths, with the occasional bush or shrub growing amidst the grass. He couldn't identify any of the trees by name, but the secluded place had a calm, peaceful air about it.

They weren't alone in their quiet walk; clusters of other people were roaming around, and he noticed small tent-like structures and wooden enclosures alongside some of the paths, along with numerous cages housing small animals. Some of the people observed them from a distance, while others appeared to be tending to them directly, and with great care.

"What sort of place is this?" asked Usagi.

"It's kind of like a zoo," Elizabeth responded, "but it's a lot more than that. The animals here are either injured or orphaned, so they take care of them until they can be reintroduced to the wild. They have a public place like this because it helps fund what they do, plus they get to educate people in things they wouldn't know otherwise."

"Ah."

A noble mission he could appreciate. It was rather pretty here as well, the perfect weather to spend a day out with the one you loved. His only complaint was that there was very little color beyond the various shades of green. "Do you know what I would love to see?" he asked softly, as he and Elizabeth moved down one of the paths at a slow pace.

She shook her head. "What?"

"A grove of cherry trees in full bloom."

The young redhead furrowed her brow in thought. "It's too late in the year for that," she said, her tone apologetic.

"I know," he sighed. "But if there is one beauty found in nature that I cannot resist, it is a cherry blossom."

Elizabeth giggled softly and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're such a romantic."

"I suppose I am," he allowed, as he slipped his arm around her. "When I am with you."

They spent the remainder of the morning there before moving on to a different kind of park, one with benches and small fountains and areas where small children played. When lunchtime came, Elizabeth introduced him to something called a hot dog stand. He wasn't sure if the unusual food quite agreed with him and enjoyed their dessert of ice cream much better.

After lunch they relaxed on a bench for a while before taking their time walking home again, hand in hand. When they got back, Hyena was waiting for them out on the front steps, head on his paws and a cranky look on his canine face.

As they mounted the steps, he sat up and made a low, grumbling sound. Elizabeth paused with her hands on her hips. "Of course I left you behind," she said, with a pert frown. "You never told me you wanted to come with."

Hyena grumbled again before getting up and slinking inside. Elizabeth grimaced.

"What did he say?" Usagi wondered curiously.

"I don't dare repeat it."

* * *

Raphael stayed out of the living room that day, and Michelangelo moped in bed, sitting slumped with a comic book hiding his face. Monalisa didn't emerge until after lunch, appearing in the kitchen doorway with her face droopy and tired and her eyes red and puffy. She wordlessly grabbed a leftover slice of pizza and a soda and sat quietly by herself. Raphael made sure he give her plenty of space.

He wished there was something he could do, but tackling this level of emotion wasn't one of his strong points. So he stayed quiet while keeping a close eye on her, hoping that leaving himself available if she needed anything, as silent and strong as he knew how to be, would be enough.

Later that day their private phone line rang; Donatello calling to see how everyone was doing. Calling collect from London. Thanks, pal.

After Raphael filled him in on everythin, the reptilian scientist was sympathetic...yet at the same time sounded glad that he was on another continent right now.

Between Michelangelo and Monalisa moping around the lair, their gloomy moods matching, the red-clad turtle was glad at least Leonardo was happy. He and Lotus were probably making each other smile in ways he didn't care to picture that very minute.

* * *

"I like the blue one better," Leonardo said firmly

Lotus folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at the pair of folded table cloths lying on top of their otherwise bare dining room table. "I prefer the gray."

"But the blue looks better with the rest of the room."

"I still prefer the gray."

"But the carpet is already gray," Leonardo argued. "Any more and the whole room will look monochrome."

"Fine. I will flip you for it."

And before he could fully fathom what she meant, she grabbed his arm and flipped him over her head. He landed on his shell on the plush carpet with a thump that rattled the china. "Let's compromise," he said, casually folding his hands on his middle. "We'll go with a third color."

Lotus looked down at him with a smirk. "Good idea."

* * *

The next few days were arguably the happiest of Elizabeth's life. Each morning she woke up so full of joy she felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn't still dreaming. Her old, unhappy life had been left behind and a brand new one was just beginning. And the awful things she had only recently experienced felt like a distant memory.

"And there's one other thing I can be glad about," she noted one morning, as she arranged her hair in the mirror she just bought. "I couldn't see while I was down there, so I'll never have to remember what any of it looked like. I might still have nightmares about _him_ once in a while, but at least they won't ever have a face."

The only one in her room with her was Hyena; he was eyeing her with a funny look she couldn't quite name. Smiling, she finished smoothing her curls and stood. "How do I look?" she asked. "Not too silly?"

Hyena responded by shifting onto his side and closing his eyes, a sure sign that he was checking out of this conversation. "You want an honest opinion about human beauty, you need to ask another human," was all he had to say.

Elizabeth didn't find that very encouraging. Feeling self-conscious now, she walked casually to the main room, where Usagi was feeding the animals. Obento had gone out a little while ago to buy more feed. Thanks to coming across numerous strays and a recent uptick of drop-offs, they had almost double the number of animals they normally did.

The shelter relied on donations, but most of the time they were barely enough to scrape by on. Elizabeth knew that having a third person live here strained daily expenses even further, and while she'd made it stretch by shopping resale when she could, her handful of cash had been reduced to a handful of pennies. She hadn't mentioned it to anyone yet, but she was seriously considering finding a new job.

This thought was pushed from her mind as she went and sat next to the bunny she loved, laughing as a group of playful kittens immediately crawled into her lap. Usagi smiled as he watched—and stopped with a look of surprise when his eye fell on her curls. "Are those cherry blossoms in your hair?"

Flushing, Elizabeth looked down at her hands. "Are they silly? I can take them out."

"No," Usagi said quickly. "They—and you—are lovely."

He reached over to finger one of the cloth blossoms she had pinned at her crown. "They're not real," she explained. "I found them at a craft store."

"They do not feel real," Usagi murmured, "but they certainly smell real."

He leaned closer to her and inhaled the fragrance on her curls. Elizabeth decided not to mention that he was smelling a few drops of the essential oil she had picked up while at the craft store. After taking in another few breaths, Usagi lifted her chin and kissed her.

Elizabeth had been hoping that was the reaction she would get. Cheeks flushing and heart speeding, she leaned into him as she took his hand, their fingers entwining. Warmth spread through her as their mouths moved together slowly, heating her to the core. Responding to whatever instincts existed within her naturally, her lips parted; Usagi responded in kind. Feeling encouraged—and a little bold—Elizabeth eased her tongue forward until it brushed against his.

It felt a little funny—not at all like the rambunctious kittens still tumbling around in her lap and licking her fingers with their rough, scratchy tongues. Usagi's was smooth and just a little bit moist. She decided that she liked it—it felt strangely good—and continued kissing him in that intimate way, pressing herself closer to him.

She felt heated and excited—a kind of excited she'd never felt before.

All at once Usagi pulled away. He edged back from the arms she hadn't realized she'd locked around him and took a second to catch his breath. Elizabeth slowly uncurled her fingers from the back of his kimono and did the same. Her heart was still thumping, and her face was hot.

Someone knocked on the front door; Usagi jumped up to answer it. Elizabeth smoothed her clothes and pulled the fake flowers out of her hair before getting up to help him and Obento carry the latest batch of food to the storage room.

Afterward, the day went on as usual. A little too usual. Usagi was crisply polite whenever she spoke to him, and he avoided making eye contact. It made her heart sink with guilt; she must have embarrassed him, letting herself get carried away like that.

She wondered what he would say if he knew that she wouldn't have minded getting carried away even further.

* * *

"No," Monalisa said sharply.

Raphael looked up from the joke book he'd been pretending to read and made a face at her. "I didn't say anything."

From her spot on the other end of the couch, the female mutant folded her arms and glared at him. "I _know_ what you're thinking," she accused. "You think I should go back and try again. But I'm not going to. Even if I convinced them that I'm really, well— _me_..."

She trailed off, her dark eyes filling with pain—and tears. She bit back a sob. "You heard them," she cried, stricken. "They want their beautiful little girl back, not—" she waved a hand at herself, "— _this_."

Raphael's heart ached for her, but when he set his book down and spoke, his tone was firm. "That doesn't make any difference. You're still you. Taking a spill in some toxic water might have changed how you look on the outside, but it didn't do anything to who you are on the inside, did it?"

Sniffling, Monalisa shook her head. She dried her eyes with the heels of her palms. "No. Of course it didn't."

She looked worn out, but she flashed him a weak smile. "Funny, I don't think I've ever heard you talk so serious before."

"I did a lot of growing up since the last time you saw me," he said simply.

Another smile tugged at her lips. "I see."

Slowly, she scooted closer to him, until the softness of her bare arm was brushing his own. "Thanks so much for sticking with me during this. You're a great friend."

And as she rested her hand on his shoulder and leaned closer to press a brief kiss to his cheek, Raphael came to realize something. Something he had known deep down all along, a simple truth that had never changed, regardless of what they had argued about or how much time they spent apart.

He wasn't going to be happy with being just her friend.

* * *

Usagi was about to start undressing for bed when he heard soft footsteps outside his room, followed by a faint tapping on the door. He glanced at Obento, who was already sound asleep, before going quietly over and opening the door. Elizabeth stood out in the hall, eyes lowered to her feet.

"Can I talk to you?"

Her tone was soft and shy...and hinted that this was a private conversation. Nodding, Usagi stepped out into the hall and slid the door shut behind him. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

The sweet girl started to answer—then closed her mouth with a small frown. Her gaze was fixed over his shoulder; Usagi turned and saw that Hyena was sitting at the far end of the hallway, watching—and listening—closely.

Setting her jaw, Elizabeth took his hand and pulled him down the hall and into her room, closing the door firmly after them. Usagi had not been in here since she recovered from her illness, wanting to respect her privacy. Looking around now he saw that she had added a few small things since then to make the room her own. A vase with dried flowers on the table; a pretty figurine on the chest of drawers; a hanging scroll with a picture of a blossoming cherry tree on one wall.

Elizabeth knelt in front of the shelf by the door and began running a brush over her curls with the aid of a small square mirror placed on a lacquered wooden stand. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, her eyes on the mirror glass.

Usagi frowned in puzzlement. "Whatever for?"

"For earlier. I embarrassed you, didn't I? I got too carried away."

"Oh..."

The samurai started to redden beneath his white fur when he realized she was referring to the kiss they shared earlier—that wonderful, pulse-pounding, skin-tingling kiss. "You did nothing of the sort," he said firmly. "It was most enjoyable."

A little too enjoyable. With his senses on overload like that he had started to worry about maintaining his self-control.

Elizabeth set down her brush and pulled an orange cloth embroidered with cactus flowers over the mirror before turning to him. Her eyes bore a trace of hurt. "But you practically avoided me afterward," she pointed out with a frown. "I could barely get you to look at me."

Usagi had hoped she wouldn't notice that. "That wasn't why," he said quickly. "Not at all. I was only..."

His face started to warm again, but he forced himself to admit the real reason he had evaded her company. "I was worried by how easy it is for me to be swept away when I am in your arms. I do not have a problem with this in itself, but...my concern is the unpleasantness you have experienced in this matter. I would not want to mistakenly push you to a place you are not ready to go."

Elizabeth was quiet for a long moment. Usagi fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve while he waited for her to speak again, hoping he hadn't upset her. He hadn't meant to seem cold.

To his relief, she looked up at him with a smile and held out her hand. He quickly took it and squeezed her fingers. "So, you were only worried about me? I was half-afraid you were mad because I went a step too far."

He shook his head. "Of course not. I could never be mad at you. I love you, my sweet Elizabeth."

Beaming now, she brought his hand to her face, rubbing her cheek against his furry fingers. Her expression turned soft. "You're both right and wrong," she noted quietly. "I did have a horrible experience once, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid of creating a different experience. I'm not afraid of sharing myself with you."

Usagi's heart gave a little hiccup. "But..."

She smiled again, her eyes shy beneath their thick lashes. "I want to know what it's like to be with someone I love."

"But," the flustered rabbit repeated, "you do not need to—that is, you should not feel obligated to me in any way, because you are not."

"I don't," Elizabeth said firmly. "I love you and I want to be with you in every way. I'm not going to let something that happened in the past get in the way of what I have here and now."

"Still, you do not need to, if you do not feel ready to," Usagi insisted.

Only he knew she was—she had just said so. Realizing he was rambling, he lowered his eyes, looking away from the face that was watching him with such earnestness. Such longing. He absently stroked her fingers with his thumb as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"What about you?"

"Hm?" Usagi focused on the green eyes gazing at him so lovingly again. "What do you mean?"

Looking sheepish, the gentle girl pulled her hand away. "If you're trying to say you aren't interested right now and I should behave myself, it's okay. I understand."

"Oh—my sweet Elizabeth, no. That was not what I was trying to say at all. I am very interested, I just...I have no experience in this matter."

"Oh."

Elizabeth's shoulders sank as she frowned. "I wish I didn't," she muttered.

The saddened look in her eyes made his heart pain for her. He moved closer and brushed his hand tenderly against her cheek. "I do not believe that counted."

Her expression relaxed again, and he could tell by the way her eyes focused on him that she was pushing all other thought aside. She was only interested in what was happening between them this very moment. Slowly, she got to her feet and slid her arms around his neck. With her mouth a breath away from his, she whispered, "This will."


	19. Planning

"They're not going to see it the way you do."

Raphael breathed a heavy sigh. He thought Monalisa was starting to cheer up after their talk the other day, but this morning she went back to moping with a vengeance. She had convinced herself that even if she could get her parents to believe she was who she said she was, they were never going to accept what she had become.

"Don't they love you?" he asked.

The distraught mutant breathed a sigh of her own and looked away. "Yes. But they still won't understand."

"If it was me, I'd just be happy to have you back. I wouldn't care how you look."

"It isn't you," the former human muttered.

Raphael bit back the urge to argue; this was getting them nowhere. He was starting to wish Splinter would come back from his retreat. The wise rat always knew what to do, even with touchy situations like this.

And then, almost like Raphael had summoned him with his anxious thoughts, the rodent in question came walking into the living room. He had that content, refreshed look on his face he always did after coming back from cleansing his mind and communing with nature. He often recommended the rest of them try it, claiming it was rejuvenating to the spirit, but so far they hadn't bothered. Raphael was pretty sure none of them would be able to stand sitting around in the woods that long.

Noticing they had a guest, Splinter stopped to greet Monalisa with a smile. Raphael thought he looked especially pleased that the young mutant had reentered their lives—particularly his. There was a suspiciously knowing look in the rat's eyes as he gave Monalisa's hand a friendly squeeze before heading to his room.

Raphael followed, with Monalisa close at his heels. Already sensing that something important was going on, the aging rodent took a seat on the tatami floor and waited for them to speak. The two young reptiles knelt in front of him, Monalisa staying quiet while Raphael gave a brief rundown of the situation with her parents.

"I am most sorry to hear that," Splinter said solemnly when he finished.

Monalisa was blinking back tears. "I hope you guys don't mind having me around," she sniffed. "Because it looks like I'm never going home again."

The ninja master was quiet for a long moment, his forehead lined in thought. Raphael sure hoped he came up with something deep and insightful that would convince the miserable mutant not to give up.

"Has Raphael ever told you about the time he and his brothers' mutations became unstable?"

Cringing, the red-clad turtle muttered, "No. On my list of things worth bragging about, that isn't one of them."

"It became a difficult time for us all," Splinter continued, while Monalisa listened curiously. "There were moments when my sons seemed so different, it felt as though I no longer knew them. But when all was said and done they were still my sons, and I never ceased loving them the same as always."

The former human looked down at her hands and was silent for a minute. "I get what you're trying to say," she murmured. "You think that my parents should love me no matter how different I look on the outside. That I'm still me and they should accept me no matter what."

She glanced at Raphael. "He told me the same thing."

Splinter lifted his thick eyebrows. "Did he?"

The turtle in question wrinkled his nose; was that so surprising? He could be deep and insightful too, when he really needed to be.

"He is right," Splinter said firmly. "You should try talking to them again. And again, if necessary. If you continue to fail to convince them that who you are inside is what matters and not how you appear on the outside, then perhaps you should question them about where their love for you truly lies."

Monalisa made a face. "Of course they love me for who I am, not how I look," she said, her tone defensive.

"You may need to remind them of that," the kind rodent told her.

The young mutant went quiet again. Slowly, she flashed a small smile. "Thanks. I'm feeling better now."

"Enough to try talking to them again?" Raphael wondered.

She gave her head a quick shake. "Not yet. I will, after I've had some time to think."

After thanking Splinter again, she got to her feet and left the room. The red-clad turtle hurried after her. Monalisa paused outside the kitchen to look at him, her eyes imploring. "You'll come with me again next time, won't you?"

Raphael grinned. "I'm going even if you tell me not to."

She finally let out a laugh, her first in days. "Good."

* * *

Elizabeth woke up slowly to a series of unfamiliar sensations. She was lying in bed undressed, the warm fabric of her blanket soft against her skin. She was on her side and nestled against something even softer, something with warm, furry arms that held her tight. Someone else's heart beat next to her own. A downy cheek lay on her shoulder and warm breath tickled her collarbone. Gentle fingers played with her curls.

Warmth flooding her heart and a smile spreading across her face, Elizabeth opened her eyes. "Good morning, Usagi-chan."

The furred samurai lifted his head and smiled in return, his blue eyes meeting her green ones. "Good morning, sweet Elizabeth."

He looked a little drowsy, the fur of his cheeks ruffled from her pillow. She didn't think he had ever looked more adorable. Laughing softly, she kissed his nose. "I want to wake up with you every morning," she decided.

The suggestion made him turn pink under his fur. "That would mean I would need to stay with you every night."

"Sounds like a plan," said Elizabeth, content. "In fact, I insist."

Usagi let out a chuckle and placed his head on her shoulder again; she rubbed her cheek against his silky ears. "My love, you have a little too much confidence in my fledgling abilities."

Elizabeth laughed again. "Silly bunny. I only want you to stay, not do something every night.

A furry hand absently brushed up and down her arm. "I believe I would like that."

Beaming, the young girl kissed the top of his head before hugging him tight, caressing a hand down his soft back. Her fingers touched the puff of fur that was his tail; she absently rubbed it between her fingertips as she thought back on last night. Despite all her assurances that she wasn't afraid, she was pretty sure they both knew that her eagerness had been partly to mask her anxiety, that she wanted to rush ahead before she chickened out. Because even though she loved Usagi and trusted him to never hurt her, the memory of the pain she once felt was still there.

Feeling shy, she said, "Thank you for being so gentle with me. I actually didn't think it was going to feel that good."

Usagi's shy smile matched her own. "I am glad I was able to please you."

"What about you?" she asked, still stroking his tail. "Did I, uh, please you, too?"

The furry samurai nuzzled her throat. "Very much. I fell asleep more than satisfied."

He shifted suddenly. "And I feel I must warn you," he said, his voice turning low, "if you continue your current activity I will be obligated to make a morning of it."

Her hand stilled. "Is that sensitive?"

"Very. Why else do you think I always keep it covered?"

Elizabeth hastily moved her hand...but she didn't move it far. Feeling both bold and mischievous, she placed her hand on his rear and gave it a small squeeze. Usagi shifted again. Make that squirmed.

"I do not wish to overtax you," he said, his tone almost pleading.

"I'm not overtaxed." She massaged the small of his back. "Are you?"

He shook his head, his eyes locked with hers. "Not at all."

Smiling wryly now, Elizabeth pulled him closer to her. "Then I don't think anyone will mind if we're a little late for breakfast. Do you?"

* * *

Leonardo was meditating peacefully when Lotus breezed into the bedroom, dressed in a flirty baby blue halter dress. His deep breathing forgotten, the young ninja watched as she went over to the full length mirror that hung on the wall and smoothed her hair.

"I take it your latest criminal stakeout went well."

Lotus smirked at him before grabbing her purse off the dresser. "I am going shopping," she said, in the flowing, musical voice he loved so much. "Do not wait up."

While she shouldered her purse and slid on a pair of pumps, Leonardo casually went over to the closet and put on one of his old disguises; a loose denim jacket and matching cap.

"What are you doing?" asked Lotus.

"Going with, of course," the former leader responded casually. "So you won't be lonely."

The female ninja rolled her eyes at the thought, but she smiled as he followed her out of the apartment. They headed to her favorite shopping district and spent the next few hours browsing expensive boutiques and high-end stores selling home décor. Today the main thing Lotus seemed to be interested in were oil paintings—pricey ones.

"I like this one," she decided, after viewing a display of several elaborate seacoast sunsets for several minutes.

"An excellent choice," the salesclerk said approvingly. "Will you be taking it with you or would you like us to deliver?"

Before Lotus could answer, the skeptical turtle she was shopping with put a hand on her arm. "It's an awful lot," Leonardo pointed out in a low voice. "At this rate you're going to need to bring in another batch of criminals by tomorrow night."

"That should not be a problem," she responded smoothly.

"Maybe not, but I don't like the idea of you putting yourself in danger just for the sake of reward money. Not to mention if you keep up this extravagant spending, our home might end up being a target for some of the criminals you're supposed to be after before too much longer."

Lotus arched an eyebrow. "And this would be an issue for the two of us because...?"

Leonardo made a face, realizing how silly it sounded for him to be worrying about a couple of cat burglars breaking into an apartment owned by two ninjas. Still, he continued to frown at her, silently conveying his concern. Lotus smiled in return and casually selected a less expensive painting in place of her first choice.

Once they finished shopping, they stopped at a classy café for lunch, sitting out on the white stone patio at a round wrought iron bistro table with a flower pattern done in mosaic tile on top. After a waiter brought them both menus and two fancy glasses filled with water, Leonardo let his eyes wander the patio while Lotus unfolded a cloth napkin on her lap and opened her menu.

Sitting at the table next to theirs was a young mother and her little girl. They had finished with lunch and were enjoying dishes of mint ice cream for dessert. They both looked so happy he couldn't help smiling to himself.

"Can we go to the zoo next?" the cute little girl asked her mother.

"Of course we can," was the smiling response. "But only if you finish your ice cream."

Her daughter promptly lifted her dish and licked the bottom clean, making them both laugh.

"And what can I get for you, sir?" someone with a heavy French accent asked.

Leonardo looked away from the happy family and up at the waiter he hadn't noticed was standing over him. "Ummm..."

He hadn't bothered looking at his menu yet, but Lotus was already handing both of them over. "I will have the mushroom stroganoff," she said, sounding like this wasn't the first time she had eaten French cuisine. "And the gentleman will have the sirloin croquettes."

The waiter took their menus and walked away. Leonardo relaxed in his seat, listening to the quiet chatter of the other diners. He reached over and took Lotus' hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers. She smiled, her dark eyes full of affection.

After enjoying a slow-paced lunch, the two of them went on a leisurely walk together, moving hand in hand down a quiet street. Lotus let out a murmur of contentment as she rested her head on the shoulder of the turtle beside her. "I never imagined this is where life would lead me. Or that this would be the path I chose."

"I'm glad it did," Leonardo said softly.

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "As am I. Being with you makes me so happy. I know we have not been together long, but the life I used to lead feels meaningless in comparison."

Hearing her say that made his heart swell with love. He slid his arm around her waist and drew her close. "My old life is over too. No more saving the world for me. All I want now is to be with you. Spend the rest of my days with you."

Leonardo didn't think about how those words sounded until after they were spoken. His pace slowed a little as he realized they almost sounded like a proposal. And in that moment, he knew that was exactly what he wanted them to be.

"Lotus?"

She lifted her eyes and looked at him. "Yes?"

He held her a little closer to him. His heart was thumping. "Will you marry me? Someday?"

Her grip on his hand went tight. "Of course I will," she said, eyes shining.

And she didn't ask him why he said 'someday'; she already understood. "A wedding would probably not be the most appropriate thing right now," she murmured, as she cuddled her head on his shoulder again. "Your brothers have been so sad."

Leonardo nodded, thinking the exact same thing. He worried that announcing an engagement at this time would sound a little insensitive. But he knew no matter what, his family would be happy for him.

"We shouldn't need to wait too long," he mused. "As soon as the time is right, I'm marrying you."

Lotus continued to smile, her gaze soft as she watched him. "I do not mind. I know you had to wait for me. I will be glad to wait for you."

* * *

"Did you try calling your parents on the phone?" Michelangelo suddenly asked Monalisa.

Raphael gave his brother a weary look. "Of course she didn't."

He started to say more...then stopped himself, brow furrowing in puzzlement. Why _didn't_ she try calling her parents first?

The three of them were sitting in the kitchen, having just finished lunch. Monalisa was absently fiddling with the edge of her paper plate. "That was the first thing I thought of doing, actually. But I couldn't decide what to say. I wanted to let them know I was okay, only I didn't know how to explain why it took me so long to get in touch with them. So in the end I thought going to see them in person was the best way to handle it."

She flashed Raphael a tired smile. "I spent a long time trying to build up the courage to actually do it. If I hadn't bumped into you, I don't know if I ever would have. I was so scared to go there by myself."

The sarcastic turtle gave a snort. "Yeah, I was a big help," he muttered.

"You were. Really." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Michelangelo glanced away with a polite cough.

"Maybe this time you should try calling before you go see them again," he suggested after Monalisa settled back in her seat again. "You can tell them you're okay, but you're a little different than they remember you. Then you could tell them to meet you someplace—someplace special to your family. That way when you show up they'll know for sure it's really you."

The other two reptiles exchanged glances—hopeful ones. "You know something?" said Raphael. "That's a darn good idea."


	20. Opening the Door

A few days after he moved into Elizabeth's room, Usagi woke up one morning to the absence of the familiar warmth of her arms around him. Dismayed, he sat up and saw that she was already awake and getting dressed. Only instead of her usual yukata, she was putting on a knee-length black skirt and a crisp short-sleeved blouse, with black buttons and trim.

Rubbing his eyes sleepily, he asked, "Are you going someplace?"

Elizabeth flashed a smile as she tied a short blue scarf around her neck. "I was hired yesterday at that little sushi bar down the street," she explained. "I was going to tell you about it after dinner last night, but..."

She trailed off and smiled again, the flush in her cheeks matching his own. Last night had turned into their most passionate encounter yet. If Obento had been unaware of the direction their relationship had taken, he undoubtedly knew now.

Hyena certainly did. Right after he moved his meager belongings into Elizabeth's room and started sharing her bed every night, the dangerous animal had taken to silently glaring at him. Usagi didn't have to ask Elizabeth to know what was on the dog's mind. The look in his dark eyes clearly read, 'hurt her and I will bite you in half.'

Usagi didn't doubt that he could, and easily.

"I only have the morning shift," the redhead he loved went on, as she pulled her blood-red curls back, "so I should be back home by lunchtime. Good thing I'm a waitress and not a cook," she added with a grin. "They probably would have asked me to cut my hair."

She pinned her curls up in a braided bun, then kissed him goodbye and hurried out of their bedroom. The furry samurai hopped up to follow, even though he was still only dressed in his undergarments. "But why did you decide to get another job?" he asked.

"Because I want to do everything I can to help out around here. I want to make sure I do my part."

"But you already do your part," said Usagi, as the petite girl paused by the front door to pet Hyena. Taking care of so many animals, helping find them good homes, and just keeping the shelter running so smoothly was more than enough in his eyes, even if she wasn't directly bringing in money. But Elizabeth's mind was made up.

"It still seems like a little too much to me," he said, as she headed out the door. "I feel as if I should do something for you in return."

Elizabeth paused. "Actually, there's one little thing that's been on my mind. You can help me with it when I get back."

* * *

After making up her mind that she was going to phone her parents, it was another few days before Monalisa built up the nerve to do it. Raphael watched as she picked up their private line; her hands shook a little as she started dialing. He leaned close enough to listen as it started to ring. There was a click, followed by a woman's voice pleasantly greeting who was on the line.

Monalisa choked. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Her eyes flooded with tears.

Raphael quickly reached over and took her hand; she squeezed it tightly in response. She was shaking again. After swallowing thickly several times, she finally forced out, "Mom."

Her voice was only a tiny whisper. "Hello? Is someone there?" her mother asked.

"It's me," her daughter said, louder this time. "It's Mona."

There was a gasp, followed by a muffled rustling, like someone was fumbling with the phone after almost dropping it in shock. In the background Raphael could hear her mother yelling that her daughter was on the phone.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked as she came back on the line. She sounded like she was in tears. Her voice quavered as she rapidly asked more questions. "Are you hurt? Where are you? Are you coming home? Do you want us to pick you up?"

There was a loud click, followed by a male voice joining the conversation. "Is that really my little girl?" Monalisa's father asked, his frantic excitement matching his wife's.

"Yes," his daughter said quietly. "It's really me."

"Are you safe? Do you need us to come get you?"

Monalisa was chewing her bottom lip. Her grip on Raphael's hand grew tighter. "Something bad happened to me. Something that kept me from coming home. I can now, but...I've changed. I'm not like you remember me."

"I don't care if you've grown a second head," said her father. "You're still our little girl and we love you more than anything. Please, just tell us where you are."

His daughter's eyes filled with tears again. "Come to the playground you used to take me to when I was a kid. I'll be waiting for you there."

She hung up without saying anything else. With a shaky sigh, she closed her teary eyes and sank against Raphael, who put his arms around her and held her tight as she shook with emotion. "You have to come with me," she ordered, sniffling. "I don't think I can handle going alone."

"I already told you," the turtle reminded her wryly, "I'm going with even if you tell me not to."

He patted her shoulder. "Don't be scared. Everything will turn out okay."

Monalisa lifted her head and smiled at him despite the dampness still in her eyes. "Thanks. You're—"

"A great friend. I know."

Her smile softened. "That wasn't what I was going to say," she whispered, before moving closer and brushing his mouth with a soft as a feather kiss.

* * *

While Raphael was busy hugging Monalisa and assuring her that everything was going to work out, Michelangelo slipped quietly out of the lair. He felt funny hovering around while they tackled the female mutant's problem—plus it was getting more and more obvious that the two of them had a thing for each other, even if neither of them had admitted it yet.

He had to admit, the thought of another one of his brothers getting a girlfriend kind of annoyed him. Yet at the same time he was happy for them, which was kind of a weird combination. Pretty soon only he and Donatello would still be single, only unlike himself, the reptilian scientist liked being alone.

Michelangelo wished that he did, too. He wished that he could stop thinking about Elizabeth. He was trying really hard not to, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't shake the idea that if she just gave him one more chance, things would be different. He wouldn't screw up again.

With this thought playing in his mind as he wandered, his feet eventually led him to the Far East Animal Society. He hadn't planned on coming here today, but since he was here now and it had been a while since his last visit, he mounted the steps and knocked on the door.

Like usual, it was Usagi who came to open it. "Hey, little dude," he greeted with a small smile. "How've you been?"

"Very well, actually," the samurai answered as he invited him inside.

Michelangelo took a quick look around, but there was no one in sight except for the usual cluster of small animals. "Is, um, Lizzie around?"

Usagi shook his head. "She has not come back from her new job yet."

"Oh. She has a new job?"

"Mm-hm. It was very sudden and I am not sure of the details, but she said she has gained employment at a sushi bar."

The young turtle's heart sank. He always seemed to miss her when he dropped by. "I'll come back later," he said.

Usagi seemed distracted about something today. It only looked like he was half-listening as he went and sat next to where the animals were. There was a book lying open next to them. "Would you like some tea before you go?" he offered.

Michelangelo shook his head. "No thanks."

As he started for the door, Usagi gave an absent nod before picking the book up in one hand. His other hand was cupped, like it was holding something. Something small that glinted silver. The animals were all watching him curiously; he set the book down with a smile and wagged a finger at them. "I want this to be surprise," he said, a warning note in his voice. "Don't any of you tell her."

He went back to his book, and Michelangelo left, wondering what he was up to.

* * *

"Do I look okay?"

Raphael paused to look Monalisa over, his expression deadpan...though he could feel his eyes dance as he answered. "As okay as a talking lizard in a raincoat and hat can look."

She scoffed and swatted his arm, but the brim of her hat didn't hide her smile. She turned away from him and looked around the playground. It was still early in the day and summer vacation was over, so only a few small kids were playing on the equipment or in the sandbox, while their mothers watched from a nearby bench. It was a pretty nice place, with lots of bright colors on the swing sets and slides and jungle gyms. Raphael could understand why this place had been special when Monalisa was small.

They were only standing there for a few minutes when her parents and little brother showed up. Her father was carrying a big bouquet of flowers. Her mother had a worn stuffed teddy bear clutched in her hands. Henry had a bundle of colorful balloons, each one covered in sayings like 'welcome home!' and 'we love you!'

The three of them paused by a teeter-totter, their eyes rapidly scanning the playground. The pair of reptiles hidden in their long coats went overlooked. "Mona?" her mother called anxiously. "We're here, sweetie."

After making sure her hat was tugged down over her face, Monalisa stepped forward slowly. Raphael stayed back as he watched her approach her family.

"Mom," she said softly. "Dad. Henry."

Her mother flew a hand to her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh, my baby—is that really you?"

"Big sissie!" squealed Henry, hugging her around the waist. With a thick swallow, Monalisa bent and hugged him back.

"What happened to you?" asked her father, who looked like he was struggling with tears himself. "Were you kidnapped? Are you hurt? Are you still in danger?"

She quickly shook her head. "No—I'm fine. I'll explain everything. It's kind of a long story, so we better sit down."

Tugging at her hat again, Monalisa took her family over to a picnic table. She spent the next few minutes explaining how she had been abducted by a crazed scientist and forced to help him with his experiments, thanks to her background in physics.

Her mother was horrified. "You could have been killed," she said, her voice faint.

From her posture, Raphael could tell that Monalisa was feeling drained after telling her story. "I'm all right now," she said tiredly. "But like I said on the phone, I'm different now."

All of a sudden Raphael felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see little Henry grinning up at him through the balloons still floating over his head. "Can I have your autograph now?" he pleaded.

Raphael couldn't help grinning at his eagerness—and the fact that he had seen right through his disguise. Sharp kid. "Do you even know who I am?"

"No," Henry admitted sheepishly. "But it doesn't matter. All four of you are my heroes."

"Hold on a minute," Raphael told him.

He turned his attention back to the scene at the picnic table. Monalisa pulled off her hat. Her mother jerked back with a gasp. Her father dropped the bouquet and gaped. "Cool!" yelled Henry.

"You?" said her mother weakly. "But you were the one who..."

"I tried to tell you it was me," her daughter reminded her sadly. "But you didn't believe me. I know I look funny now, but I'm still me. I didn't change on the inside. I'm still the same person I always was."

Henry suddenly thrust his balloons into Raphael's hand and darted over to the picnic table. Climbing into his sister's lap, he asked, "What's my favorite ice cream?"

Monalisa rolled her eyes. "Raspberry and pickles. You little gross-out."

Her brother laughed and hugged her hard around the neck. "See? She's still my big sister. She's the best big sister ever."

Monalisa finally lost the battle with the tears she'd been fighting back all this time. Sniffling, she hugged her brother, while their mother slowly came closer again, scooting along the bench seat. "I..."

She didn't look like she had any idea what to say. After picking up the bouquet and setting it on the table, her husband reached over and rested a hand on their daughter's shoulder. "You might look different, but you're still our daughter. And we'll always love you no matter what. I'm so sorry for what we did the other night."

After putting Henry down, Monalisa turned to her mother. The older woman threw her arms around her and burst into tears. "My poor baby," she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

It was hard to tell if she was sorry for what happened to her, or sorry for turning her away like she did. But it didn't really matter. The tears mother and daughter cried as they held each other were tears of renewal. Raphael finally had to look away, not wanting to join in the waterworks...but it was already too late.

* * *

Elizabeth was a little tired as she walked home from work, but she was happy. Her new boss was nice, and so were all her fellow waitresses. The sushi bar was a family owned business, so only a handful of the employees weren't related, but everyone acted like family anyway. She was already looking forward to going back tomorrow.

But the little thing that had been on her mind lately was her old job at the aquarium. She missed swimming every day, and she missed all the animals she used to take care of. She didn't want to work there again, but she couldn't help longing to go back and see how everyone was doing. Just one more time.

When she got home, she went straight to her room and changed out of her uniform. Once she had on her cozy yukata, she went looking for Usagi. She eventually tracked him to the garden; she scurried up and pulled him into a tight hug.

He hugged her back, but only with one arm. He kept the other behind his back, his hand firmly balled. With a frown, he looked down at the mixture of shelter and wild animals bouncing around her feet, trying to get her attention. "Go on, now," he told them. "Either go inside or go home."

They all complained noisily, but they obeyed, either scampering inside or off into the bushes. Elizabeth eyed the furry samurai curiously. "What's up?"

"I merely want us to have a little privacy."

"I figured as much," she said, as Usagi took her hand and led her over to the back steps. "You want to talk about something?"

The white rabbit flashed a smile as they sat down on the steps together. A smile that didn't quite mask the obvious nervousness in his blue eyes. "I, uh, wanted to ask you how your first day at work went."

"Oh—fine. A little busy, but it was fun. Everyone is really nice."

Usagi smiled again. "I am glad."

"But there's one little thing I've been wanting to do," she went on. "I'd like to go back to the aquarium. Just once, so I can say goodbye to the animals properly."

"And you would like me to go with you?" Usagi guessed. "Of course I will. But before we think about that, there is something I need to ask you, and it really cannot wait."

Looking over his shoulder at the closed back door, he called out, "There are some around here who cannot be trusted to stay quiet."

On the other side of the door, there was a smattering of muffled giggles before everything went quiet again. Elizabeth smirked. "Fair enough. What's on your mind?"

His blue eyes lifted to her face. "You."

After taking a short breath, he cupped her hand in his, holding it so her fingers faced him. He took his other hand out from behind his back—and before she realized what he was doing, he had slipped a ring onto her ring finger. A claddagh ring, positioned so the heart faced outward.

In the softest of voices, Usagi told her, "With this crown, I give my loyalty. With these hands, I offer my service. With this heart, I give you mine."

Elizabeth pressed a hand to her mouth as her eyes grew moist. Her heart was pounding, filling with so much love she thought it might burst. She saw that love mirrored in Usagi's eyes as he looked at her, so anxious, so hopeful. She was so happy right now she wasn't even going to point out that he'd accidentally recited a marriage vow instead of a proposal.

With a joyful laugh, she pulled him into her arms and squeezed him tight, pressing her face into the comforting warmth of his throat. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes."


	21. Surprises

Raphael wasn't able to have a moment alone with Monalisa until later that night. He kept an eye on her from a distance all day, just in case she needed him...and because it made him feel good to see her so happy, spending time with her family again. He was glad everything worked out the way it did.

After leaving the playground, her parents had taken her home, where they spent the day learning everything their daughter had done during the time she'd been away, sharing more tears and laughter and just plain celebrating her return. Henry chattered the most, telling his big sister all about what he was doing in school, and how he was going to take computer classes soon and major in physics once he got to college, just like she did.

Finally, the hyper ten-year-old wore himself out and was carried to bed, and his parents decided it was time to get ready for bed themselves. As soon as she had the chance, Monalisa slipped out onto the small balcony connected to one side of the house. She pulled the thick drapes that hung on the inside of the patio door shut before sliding the glass door closed. Raphael, who had been watching from down by the rosebushes growing next to the house, scurried up the balcony stairs.

"Sorry I didn't introduce you," Monalisa apologized. "I thought having me home and meeting my mutant friends all in one day might be a little too overwhelming for them."

Raphael understood. "It's okay," he told her with a grin. "I'll just come back tomorrow."

Giggling, she pulled him into a tight hug. "You were great today. I can't thank you enough."

"It was nothing," he murmured.

Having her in his arms reminded him of the kiss she gave him earlier. He hadn't stopped thinking about it, or wondering just what it meant.

The slender reptile let go of him and stepped back, until she was resting against the patio door. She folded her hands behind her as her dark eyes studied him. "I lied, you know."

Raphael blinked. "Huh?"

"When I told you that I don't remember what we fought about. I do."

The sarcastic turtle didn't see the point in bringing that up now. Or at all. "Didn't we put that behind us?"

She gave him a strange smile. "It was over popcorn."

Raphael blinked again. "Popcorn?" he echoed. She had to be kidding.

"We were watching a movie and I accused you of pigging out and eating it all. You denied it. Strongly, I might add."

The young ninja was silent for a long moment as he thought back on his vague memory of that last night he saw her. "All that yelling was over _popcorn_?"

Giggling again, Monalisa looked down at her bare feet. She ran a hand up and down her arm, still behind her back. "I knew the whole time you didn't. Michelangelo did, after I told him he could. You didn't know a thing about it because you had fallen asleep ages ago."

Raphael gave her a blank stare. "So, what you're trying to say is that we were only arguing because...you're insane?"

Still looking down, the female mutant let out a nervous laugh and fiddled with the pink scarf around her neck. "We were watching a monster movie and you just up and fell asleep with your head on my shoulder. After that I think I watched you more than the movie. I'll never forget how you looked in that moment. So still and peaceful and innocent. Just like a little boy."

She tapped her toes on the smooth tile of the balcony floor. "I'll never forget because that was the moment I realized I was in love with you."

Raphael felt his face heat. "Oh," was all he could say.

"I didn't think you'd ever feel the same way about me, so I kind of panicked. When you woke up I did the first thing that popped into my head and picked a fight with you over something stupid, then ran off."

Chuckling, she shook her head. "I got pretty good at running away from things, huh?"

She tapped her toes again. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to love me back," she went on, faltering now. "I mean—I do, of course I do, but..."

The slender mutant took a breath to steady herself. "I made up my mind today that I'm not ever running away from something again. I'm going to face life head-on, even if things don't go the way I want them to. And if it wasn't for you I don't know if I would have ever have gotten the courage to decide that."

Finally, Monalisa lifted her eyes, her gaze expectant. Imploring. Raphael waited a second or two, and when she didn't say anything else, he asked, "You finished?"

She nodded.

"Good."

The strong mutant grabbed her small arms and yanked her against him. Monalisa let out a startled sound, which was muffled by his mouth clamping over hers. He kissed her good and hard as he held her to him, reveling in the feel of her soft lips, the way her skin warmed and her heart raced in her chest.

When he finally let go, she staggered back and slumped against the patio door with a thump. Her dark eyes were wide as she stared at him, flushed and short of breath. She touched her fingertips to her lips. "What was _that_ for?"

"Just making up for lost time," Raphael said casually.

He moved closer, leaning forward until his forehead bumped hers. "Can you do me a favor? Don't ever run away again. I miss you too much."

She shook her head, eyes locked with his. "Never. Especially not from you. Not if you want me."

Smiling now, he lightly gripped her small shoulders. "I always have."

Being gentle this time, he drew her into his arms and kissed her again. They took their time getting to know each other's mouth, brushing whisper-soft kisses against the other's cheeks from time to time as their hands drifted over arms, shoulders, hair, shell.

They broke apart when a light suddenly went on, shining through the patio drapes. "Mona?" came her mother's voice. "Are you out there?"

Monalisa quickly turned and opened the door. "Just getting some air," she said.

Her eyes were full of longing as she looked back over her shoulder. Raphael was already making his way down the balcony steps. "Tomorrow?" she asked in a soft voice.

Raphael smiled. "You got it."

* * *

For the next few days Usagi puzzled over who he was going to find in this world willing to marry him and his Elizabeth. At night he let the thought slip from his mind as he enjoyed his bride-to-be, while come morning he couldn't help but feel saddened as she left their bed to get ready for work. He had been unsure of it at first, but now he realized that doing something productive and interacting with others more often was good for the sweet girl. She liked her coworkers, and the samples she brought home were quite tasty.

It did his heart good to see her so happy, especially after the painful experience she just had. After he proposed to her the other day, they had gone out a little while later to the aquarium she used to work at. Since she had been told not to return, they had both gone in disguise.

Telling the animals she loved that she had only come back to say goodbye had been extremely hard on her. They all cried and begged her not to go again, but she had no choice. They nearly ran into the man responsible for her losing her job in the first place on their way out. When they went home again, Elizabeth had fled to their room in tears.

Her smile had returned the next day, but Usagi had to wonder if the unhappy trip wasn't still on her mind. She seemed like herself most of the time, but sometimes when she woke up in the morning she looked weary, even if they had not enjoyed each other the night before. And she often looked fatigued when she came home from work, though when he expressed concern she insisted that her job wasn't difficult or hard on her.

"Maybe I'm coming down with something again," she noted at dinner one night, with a hand pressed to her forehead.

"I certainly hope not," Usagi said in concern. "If so, I insist that we postpone our wedding. I would not dream of having you tax yourself while you are ill. Although there will be no wedding to postpone, if I cannot find someone to marry us," he added sadly.

Elizabeth frowned, but only for a second. "You know something?" she said, brightening. "I bet Master Splinter would."

The samurai thought this over. It would be nice, he decided, to be married by one of his friends, with the rest of his friends present. In fact, he could not think of a nicer way to be married.

"All right," he agreed with a smile. "If you are feeling well enough to go ahead with our plans, I shall ask him in the morning."

* * *

The next time Leonardo stopped by to visit his family, the mood in the lair had greatly improved. Everyone was smiling, and passing around a postcard from Donatello giving a brief description of his trip and all the 'fascinating' things he was seeing.

"Translation? Boring," Raphael quipped.

He looked a lot happier than he did a few days ago, and he explained that things had gone great with Monalisa's parents. Leonardo was glad to hear it.

Lotus, who had come with him this morning, was off to one side with Splinter. They were talking quietly, though the female ninja looked a little awkward about it. She always felt funny around the wise rodent, which Leonardo couldn't blame her for. She had kidnapped him once, after all.

But she had already apologized repeatedly, and Splinter had assured her that all was forgiven. With a smile, he offered her some of the sushi he was eating for breakfast. She accepted the raw food and popped it into her mouth.

"Ewww, she _ate_ it," said Michelangelo with a grimace.

"It is food," Lotus said calmly. "What else should I do with it?"

"She's got exotic taste," Leonardo said mildly, his gaze loving. "We had calamari for dinner last night."

Raphael wrinkled his nose. "Isn't that squid?"

"I believe so," put in a new voice.

Their group turned to see Usagi approaching them, looking as cheerful as Leonardo had ever seen him. "Good morning, my friends," he greeted.

He paused when he saw Lotus, who looked at him curiously in return. Smiling, Leonardo put his arm around her waist. "Lotus, this is our friend Usagi," he told her. "Usagi, this is Lotus. My, um, my..."

"Special someone," the lagomorph supplied, blue eyes full of understanding.

Leonardo nodded wordlessly. He had been about to say 'fiancée,' but he hadn't told his family about their engagement yet. That wasn't quite how he wanted to break the news.

Michelangelo, who had been sitting on the couch playing video games, turned the TV off and got up. "How's Lizzie doing?" he asked, with an expression that said he was trying to act casual.

"I would have asked her to come with," said Usagi, "but...no offense, but she means to keep her vow to never set foot in the sewers again."

"No offense taken," Leonardo mumbled.

"I did not want her to come along anyway," the rabbit samurai continued. "She was ill when she woke up this morning and I insisted she stay in bed. Fortunately it is her day off today or else I imagine she would sneak off to work the second I left."

His voice held more affection than disdain. "She works at a sushi bar now, right?" asked Michelangelo.

"Blech," said Raphael. He glanced at Splinter with a grin. "On the other hand, sounds like your kind of place."

The rat merely smiled and took a sip of his tea. Usagi went over to him, hands clasped so they were hidden by the long sleeves of his kimono. He looked hopeful about something. "To get to my reason for coming here today," he began, "I have a most humble request."

"Of me?" said Splinter, sounded surprised. "Of course. What is it?"

"I..."

Looking nervous now, Usagi bowed his head. "I am in need of someone to perform my wedding ceremony."

Leonardo, who had been leaning his shell against the back of the couch as he listened, lost his balance and toppled over. While he got up and rubbed his sore rear end with a wince, Michelangelo gaped. "Wedding?" he echoed.

The news that the kind, soft-spoken rabbit was getting married wasn't surprising in itself, but the fact that he had found someone to marry outside his home world sure was.

Raphael recovered first. "Who's the lucky lady?" he asked with a grin.

His smile shy, Usagi absently plucked at the edge of his sleeve as he said in a soft voice, "Miss Cassidy."

Michelangelo flinched like he'd just been slapped. "You're marrying my Elizabeth?" he cried.

The rabbit fixed him with a hard frown. "She is not yours," he said coolly. "She does not belong to anyone except herself. She is free to choose as she pleases."

For a second it looked like Michelangelo wanted to turn this into a fight, but the samurai's words made him pause. And to Leonardo's relief, he turned away and didn't say anything else. There really wasn't any way he could argue. Usagi was right.

Raphael, never one to keep his mouth shut, broke the uncomfortable silence that followed. "We're just a little surprised to hear that she chose you."

Leonardo wanted to elbow him for being rude, but Usagi smiled. "So was I."

"If everything is decided," put in Splinter, "then it would be an honor to join the two of you in marriage."

The samurai let out a breath of relief. "Thank you," he said, beaming.

Clearing his throat, Leonardo moved over and stood at Lotus' side. She automatically took his hand and held it tightly. "There's something I need to ask, too," the blue-clad turtle began.

Splinter turned to them, eyes curious. "Yes?"

Leonardo looked at the woman standing beside him for a moment, his heart swelling with love. Lotus caressed his face with her eyes before placing her head on his shoulder. Smiling, Leonardo looked at Splinter again.

"Would it be all right if we made it a double wedding?"

* * *

As soon as Usagi left, Elizabeth got out of bed and took a short walk to the nearest pharmacy. When she got home she was much too agitated to even think about lying down again, so she paced the halls for a while, then went back to her room and started brushing her hair, hoping the repetitive activity would calm her nerves.

She forgot that brushing her hair too much made it frizz wildly out of control. Grumbling, she pulled it all back into several braids before making a tight bun. She frowned at herself in the mirror; her face looked pale while her cheeks were flushed, making her freckles appear darker than usual.

The animals looked worried about her as she wandered the shelter, then out to the garden, but when they asked her if something was wrong, all she did was shake her head. She wasn't saying a word until Usagi came home.

Finally, after the morning and part of the afternoon was gone, Hyena let out a short, savage bark. It wasn't half as polite as the uninterested growl he gave when Obento came home, but Elizabeth was so relieved she didn't even scold him as she hurried to open the door. Hyena didn't see anything wrong with it; it was his way of testing the rabbit's bravery.

Usagi always came right in no matter what, head held high. Today he gave Hyena an absent pat as he closed the door. Growling, Hyena muttered, "I wonder how he'd taste marinated in lemon juice?"

Elizabeth shot him a look before pulling her fiancé into a tight hug. After kissing him soundly, she asked, "Did he say yes?"

"He did," the furry samurai replied with a smile. "Only there is something I must tell you."

The young redhead was more than a little anxious to talk about something else, but she kept quiet as Usagi went into the kitchen and started preparing lunch. As he warmed the teakettle, he explained to her that Leonardo was also getting married.

"Really? To who?"

"A ninja woman named Lotus," he said. "They asked if their ceremony could take place alongside ours."

Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "You mean, make it a double wedding?"

For a moment the idea made her frown; she had pictured their wedding being small and private. But after thinking about it, she decided it would be nice to have all their friends there. And the other couple was probably one of the only ones in the world as unique as the two of them. Merging their special day might be fun.

"That sounds nice," she decided.

She tapped a finger on the tabletop for a second, then ventured, "How did they react?"

Usagi understood what she meant. "About how you'd expect," he said, still facing the stove. "If you mean someone in particular, I believe the news was rather upsetting to him."

Elizabeth had figured that would happen. Usagi had told her about Michelangelo stopping by to see her while she was at work the other day, and she had been wondering if that was a sign that he still had feelings for her. She hoped the thought of her moving on with someone else hadn't hurt him too much. She also hoped he found someone else soon, someone who made him happy.

"The wedding is scheduled to take place on your next day off," Usagi told her, as he stirred a steaming pot. "Although if you are still feeling poorly, everyone was very kind and agreed to wait until you are well again."

Elizabeth was startled. "So, the wedding is next week? That doesn't give me very much time to get ready. I don't even have a gown yet."

"Miss Lotus has already offered to shop with you for everything you need. As I understand it, she is rather wealthy."

"Oh."

The redhead thought this over. She had never been shopping with a ninja before, but since this was the woman Leonardo had chosen to marry, she didn't see why it would be any trouble.

"Is that everything?" she asked.

Usagi looked up from his cooking. "I believe so. Why?"

The petite girl looked down at her hands, which were nervously fiddling with her obi. "There's something I need to tell you."

Looking concerned, Usagi put his cooking chopsticks down and came over to the kitchen table. She could tell by the look in his blue eyes that he had figured out something important was going on.

"What is it?" he asked, smoothing his soft hand over her forehead. "You are not more ill than we thought, are you? I was so worried this morning when you could not keep your breakfast down."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It'll be a while before that stops happening. It's normal."

Usagi gave her a puzzled look. "Normal? What do you mean?"

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm her nerves, but it didn't slow her thumping heart as she answered. "I'm pregnant."


	22. Day of Bliss

Usagi felt a jolt that made his stomach drop out. "What did you say?"

Reddening, Elizabeth looked down at her hands again. Her voice was a small mumble as she said, "I figured you'd be surprised."

The uncertainty in her tone brought an ache to his heart. His shock forgotten, Usagi quickly reached out and lifted her face. "I am surprised," he admitted, as he looked into her deep green eyes, "but I am also happy. I am so, so happy."

He drew her to him, still sitting by the table, and kissed the top of her head. She rested her cheek on his chest. "You really mean it?" she whispered.

The samurai didn't wonder why she was so uncertain. She had been treated unfairly her whole life and understandably had doubts about such a big step, especially when it very much concerned someone else. Someone she cared for and longed to please.

Usagi held her tighter. "Of course I do. I love you more than anything and could only be made even more joyful by this wonderful gift. Our child was made by you and me and I love him already. He is a part of us."

When Elizabeth lifted her eyes to his, he still saw a flicker of doubt. And then her lips twitched into a smile. "Actually, I think we're having a girl."

"Oh? I cannot help but hope for a boy. One that I can train the same way I was."

"You could do the same thing if we have a girl," his fiancée said firmly. "And besides..."

Her smile turned soft. "I really hope we have a girl, because if she's born able to do what I do, then she'll grow up knowing that she's not alone, and that she has nothing to be ashamed of. She won't have to end up hurt the way I was."

Usagi couldn't say that he didn't understand how she felt. And no matter who or what their child turned out to be, he knew he would love them. Smiling, he kissed the tip of his future bride's nose. "Whatever we have, they will be deeply loved. And they will have eyes every bit as beautiful as yours."

Those eyes became moist, even as Elizabeth's smile grew. Sniffling, she put her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. "You're so good to me," she sighed, voice muffled against his throat. "I wish we were getting married tomorrow instead of next week. Forget Miss Cassidy—I'm ready to be Mrs. Yojimbo."

Chuckling, Usagi kissed her again. "Patience, my love. You still need your gown, do you not?"

His bride-to-be looked disappointed. "Oh. That's right."

She pulled away from his arms and stood up. With her head down and her eyes focused on her figure, she drifted a hand over her flat middle. "Good thing we're getting married now instead of waiting until spring, like most people do," she murmured. "I'll be pretty round by then."

Her words caused a stirring deep inside her future husband. Usagi had never really thought about becoming a father before, but now, he couldn't help but picture how just beyond the fingers still pressed to the belly of the woman he loved, a new life was growing inside her. It made his heart soar like he never thought it could.

As he moved closer and placed his hand over hers, he tried to picture what their child might be like. Would he turn out like his father or mother? Or perhaps a little of both? Either way he couldn't wait to meet him. Or her.

With reluctance, Usagi left Elizabeth's side and went back to preparing lunch. When everything was ready and the table was set, Obento came to join them, with Hyena at his heels. The lagomorph eagerly filled his master in on the happy news.

"It is a good thing you are marrying her, then," said Obento, with pretend sternness.

Giggling, Elizabeth gave him a quick hug. "You're coming to the ceremony, right?" she asked eagerly.

"My child, I would not miss it for anything."

* * *

When Elizabeth got off work the following afternoon, she nearly bumped into a woman as she was on her way out. A very pretty Japanese woman, who smiled as she put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Are you Elizabeth?" she asked.

"Uh-huh—oh. You must be Lotus."

"And you are in need of wedding attire as well, yes?" said the female ninja, as she indicated for the two of them to walk together.

"Right now?" Elizabeth asked in surprise. "I'm still in my work uniform."

"That is all right. I am in a bit of a hurry."

Walking with a brisk stride, Lotus took her a few blocks from the sushi bar to an expensive boutique. It was full of designer dresses and gowns for every occasion. Some were elegant yet still casual, while others glittered in the track lighting with delicate embroidery and crystal beads. Each one had a distinctly Japanese look.

It made sense for the two of them to shop here, but as Elizabeth looked over a rack of silk wedding gowns, she found herself picturing the gown her mother wore on her own wedding day. Ever a fan of Irish tradition, she had walked down the aisle in a gown of powder blue, with a wreath of wildflowers on her head.

Elizabeth missed the days when her mother used to sit her down on her lap and go through photo albums full of pictures of her wedding and of the first few years of Elizabeth's life. Her mother had treasured those photos, especially since she had lost her husband only shortly after their daughter was born.

Those days seemed so innocent now. So free of worry and pain. It was just the two of them, as close as two people could be. But as much as she missed those bygone days, she missed her mother more.

 _Can you see me where you are now, Mom?_ Elizabeth thought to herself. _I'm happy. I'm finally happy._

She quickly wiped away the moisture gathering in her eyes and turned to Lotus, who was looking over a gown made of lavender silk. "Find anything yet?" the female ninja wondered.

Elizabeth gave her head a slow shake. "No. I don't think they have what I want here."

The smile Lotus gave her as she set the gown aside was both kind and patient. "Oh? Do you have somewhere else in mind?"

The young redhead smiled in return. "Uh-huh. I know just the place."

* * *

As soon as Donatello got the message that Leonardo was getting married, he hopped on the first available flight back to New York. Ordinarily he would have taken one of his own vehicles for a trip like this, but he had decided to leave them with the others in case they needed them. Not only that, he had felt like including everyday travel in his lengthy European journey. Riding on planes, taking the train, and hailing taxi cabs was part of the experience.

His flight back home went smoothly and he made it down to the sewers by Friday night. The wedding was scheduled for Sunday morning, so he had plenty of time to settle in and catch up with what his brothers had been up to while he was away.

Leonardo dropped by briefly to say hello before hurrying back to his bride and the wedding preparations. He looked over the moon, and Raphael seemed almost as happy. Monalisa, who appeared to be glued to the turtle's hip these days, wore the same grinning expression.

The only one who looked less than thrilled was Michelangelo. When Donatello learned that this was going to be a double wedding—and learned who the other couple was—he understood why.

Despite there being two couples, the ceremony was going to be small and simple, preformed in a traditional Japanese style—with a few small Irish touches added. Those who had been invited weren't asked to do anything except watch the ceremony and then enjoy the reception afterward, so after getting a good night's sleep the young scientist headed topside with his two brothers Sunday morning.

The wedding was being held at a small shrine owned by a friend of Obento's, not far from the animal shelter. When they arrived, Monalisa on Raphael's arm, everything was already set up: rows of wooden chairs with padded red seats, a simple low wooden table in the middle of the quiet room. The lighting was soft, cast by the paper lanterns strung around the room.

The guests proceeded inside behind the brides and grooms before taking their seats, while the two couples went to stand in front of one side of the table. Splinter stood waiting at the other side of the table.

After making himself comfortable, Donatello took a quick glance around the room. Aside from his brothers and Monalisa, the guest list was fairly small. There was Casey (did he _ever_ take that mask off?) and young Zach. Only he wasn't so young anymore; his main focus in life right now was finishing his studies so he could pursue a career as a paranormal investigator—chasing after ghosts, UFOs, and anything else remotely out of the ordinary.

April was here, too. The four of them didn't see very much of her these days. She had settled into a quieter life as a freelance reporter and journalist, focusing on stories that were a lot less hazardous to her health than the ones she used to cover. The smile on her face now showed that she was enjoying taking the day off and dressing up for a quiet, formal occasion like this. There was no sign of any of her fellow newsmen—which, considering how they all blamed Channel 6 blowing up on the four of them, didn't come as a surprise.

A hush fell over the room as the ceremony began; Donatello quickly turned to face the front of the room. This particular form of wedding ceremony involved the bride and groom drinking sake, which was first poured into small round cups before the four standing at the table drank in turn. Leonardo, Lotus, and Usagi each drained their cups swiftly and solemnly, but Elizabeth paused briefly before downing hers with a slight grimace. Donatello assumed she didn't like how rice wine tasted, because the funny look on her face didn't fade until after that portion of the ceremony was over.

When it came time to exchange vows, Leonardo went first. Donatello didn't think his brother had ever looked more grown up, or more refined. He was dressed in a kimono-style robe colored a soft lilac and lined with white. Lotus was wearing a matching lilac and white gown, with long sleeves and a sheer, airy material draped over her shoulders and down the back of the gown. After the two quietly said their vows, they exchanged wedding tokens: gold bands they carefully slid onto the others wrist, since a ring would be difficult for Leonardo to wear.

Usagi was dressed in a traditional wedding kimono, colored black with gray hakama. Elizabeth had opted for a different kind of tradition and was wearing a pale blue gown covered in Irish lace. Her bright red curls were braided and coiled around her head elegantly, with cherry blossoms tucked into the plaits. In her hands she held a bouquet of wildflowers and a few flowers known as Bells of Ireland.

After vows were exchanged between the young girl and noble samurai, they each placed a claddagh ring on their new spouse's ring finger. Leonardo mentioned yesterday that Usagi had been in a hurry to resize the ring Elizabeth gave him so he could wear it today. Once the silver rings were in place, the hearts turned inward, the two of them clasped hands and rested them on the table, and Splinter proceeded to wrap a length of red ribbon around their wrists, forming a figure eight—an infinity symbol.

And with that, the two couples turned to face each other and shared their first kiss as husband and wife, while the guests all drained a cup of sake in their honor. Afterward, the procession left the shrine and headed over to a reception hall down the street. The decorations were fun and informal, with paper lanterns and Japanese blossoms strung alongside lucky horseshoes and other charms, and fairy-like candles in glass holders surrounded by wildflowers were on the tables. The food arrangements were smorgasbord and there was no assigned seating, so everyone either grabbed a plate, sipped a fizzling beverage, or just took a seat and talked.

As Donatello sat down with a full plate by friends and family, he kept an eye on Elizabeth. Almost everyone here today was a complete stranger to her—but instead of behaving like the shy, uncertain girl who kept ducking her head when he had sat down to a pizza dinner with her just a few short months ago, she held her head high the entire day. Her cheeks were pink with happiness and her eyes shone as she greeted each of her guests with a smile. She even went up to Michelangelo at one point to give him a quick hug and thank him for coming.

After he was done feasting, Donatello got up to do some mingling. He was curious about how Elizabeth had regained her sight, but when he asked her she just shrugged and smiled, saying that she wasn't sure herself. "I'm just glad it came back."

"Me too," the turtle scientist said sincerely. He glanced over at Usagi, who was talking to Splinter, then said, "Congratulations to you two. You make a unique couple."

Elizabeth chuckled at his choice of words. "I bet we do. But I don't care how funny some people think we look together. I've never been this happy."

Donatello had noticed. You would never guess this was the same broken, sobbing girl they rescued from the Rat King. She and Usagi belonged together. And with that realization, he drifted over to a quiet corner of the room, where Michelangelo was sitting by himself. He didn't look up as his brother approached, instead staring down into the glassful of punch in his hand.

"She's officially a married woman now," Donatello said gently. "Time to let go and move on."

"I know," Michelangelo mumbled. "Leonardo told me the same thing. I'm trying, but it's not as easy as it sounds, y'know."

The young scientist nodded, as if he did know...but in truth he had no idea. He'd never been close to being in a relationship before, and he'd never really thought about being in one, either. But as the happy day wore on and he watched the two beaming couples as they stayed close, his former leader shining with a joy Donatello had never seen in him before as he kept his arm around his lovely bride...he couldn't deny that somewhere deep inside he felt a pang of loneliness.

* * *

Feeling flush with happiness and comfortably sleepy, Elizabeth stretched out on her and Usagi's wedding gift to each other: a new futon bed. It was much more modern than the one she had been sleeping on, big enough for two and kept on a low wooden frame with two pillows, so it didn't need to be folded up every morning. The sheets were white and the frame was black, as were the covers. Everything felt wonderfully soft as she settled back, still dressed in her wedding gown, and stared up at the ceiling.

Today had been wonderful in too many ways to count. She felt so happy and free—and a little mellow, too. She assumed that was from all the sake she had to drink during the ceremony, which she'd felt funny—guilty—about even though the tiny, shallow cups barely held half a mouthful each. Between the nine cups they all had to drink before they were done she doubted she'd had six ounces, but she still felt funny and was glad she hadn't needed to drink any more. Still, she'd ended up liking the taste a lot more than she thought she would and planned to try it again after her baby was born.

Out in the hall, the shelter animals were all clustered outside the bedroom door. They chirped and squeaked their congratulations as Usagi bid them goodnight and closed the door with a smile. The only light in the room was the lantern next to her vanity mirror as he came to the bedside and started to get undressed.

"Did you know," Elizabeth began lazily, still gazing at the ceiling, "that a lot of the traditions used today came from Ireland?"

Her new husband smiled as he gave his head a shake. "Do tell."

She thought for a moment. "Well, the handfasting ritual we did today is where the expression 'tying the knot' came from."

It actually didn't stem from a real wedding ceremony, but she had adapted its purpose to symbolize the two of them being bound for eternity. Very romantic, in her mind.

"And grooms carry their brides over the threshold because it was believed that if the bride walked into the bridal chamber on her own, the fairies would try to spirit her away," she continued. "And wearing green to an Irish wedding is considered very bad luck."

That last one wasn't exactly a tradition that had spread to other cultures, but her mind was starting to get a little foggy. She covered a yawn as her new husband knelt on the mattress and leaned over to smooth loose curls off her forehead. "Sounds ominous," he noted, grinning. "We are not wearing green, but perhaps we ought to undress to nothing at all and get safely in bed. No point in tempting fate."

Giggling, Elizabeth slid her arms around his neck. "Sounds like a plan."


	23. Unexpected Changes

The next couple of months were the happiest of Leonardo's life. Thanks to his new apartment being so close to the lair, he was easily able to divide his time between his wife and brothers. The three of them came up to visit from time to time, while he headed into the sewers whenever Lotus was off chasing after more criminals carrying a hefty price tag. Sometimes she would be gone for a day or two and the four of them would make a guys night of it, full of goofing around and TV and way too much pizza.

Even though Lotus was a capable fighter, her skill level vastly superior to the thugs she hunted down, he still worried about her until she was safely home again. The best days were the ones they spent together—and the best nights were long and filled with passion.

When he woke up one morning after such a night he was disappointed to find that his lovely wife had taken off without him. She was doing more shopping, the note she left him said, and decided not to drag him along because she knew he'd get bored. This was true—he felt like Lotus had done enough shopping to last them for years, but as relaxed as she had become since they got together, she wasn't willing to completely give up her extravagant lifestyle. She had a deep love for fine things: expensive dishes, exquisite artwork, beautiful clothes. Since she was obtaining those things honestly these days, he couldn't really complain.

After a dull, lonely breakfast, Leonardo decided to keep busy instead of waiting around for Lotus to come back. But he had seen his brothers just yesterday and doubted anything new was happening. Michelangelo was trying to keep his spirits up, especially when everyone around him was having fun, but he was still struggling to get over his lost love. Raphael, on the other hand, couldn't be happier where love was concerned. If Monalisa wasn't running down to the lair first thing every day, he was racing topside to see her. They were so inseparable it didn't take a genius to figure out another wedding was on the horizon. And speaking of geniuses...Donatello had flown back overseas and was sending postcards their way between scouring museums and historical landmarks.

Someone he hadn't seen or heard much from since the wedding was Usagi or Elizabeth, so Leonardo thought he'd drop by and say hello. When he got there the shelter seemed unusually quiet, with Hyena being the only animal in sight as Usagi opened the front door. The way the powerful animal watched them both with a suspicious glare made him uneasy, but Usagi's mood was light and cheerful as he invited the young ninja inside.

"We are all quite well," the samurai reported after the two exchanged greetings. "Though Elizabeth is rather tired today."

"She's not sick, is she?" the blue-clad turtle asked.

Winter was approaching rapidly and cold season was already underway. Usagi was all smiles as he led him to the kitchen, his blue eyes shining. "No," he responded. "She is just expecting a kit."

"Oh," said Leonardo, with a puzzled frown. A kit of what?

In the kitchen, Elizabeth was busy stirring a steaming pot on the stove. She had her hair pinned up and was dressed in what looked like a brand new houmongi. The main color was pastel green while the obi was yellow, as soft in color and texture as a newborn chick. A bright pattern of cherry blossoms decorated the portion below the waist.

Looking up from her cooking, she brushed a curl away from her eyes with a smile. "Miso soup?" she offered.

He just had breakfast, but after taking a sniff of the delicious smell permeating the air, he decided that a small bowlful or two wouldn't hurt. While he and Usagi set the table, Elizabeth suddenly stepped back from the stove and ran a hand over her midsection. Her nose was wrinkled. "Am I starting to show already?"

Usagi chuckled. "No, my love."

Leonardo gave them both a funny look. "Show?"

The only time he heard a woman say that was when she was...

His face started to warm as it sunk in. That sure explained why Usagi looked like he was on top of the world. "Are you, um, expecting?"

It was the lagomorph's turn to give him a funny look. "I told you she was earlier," he said.

"You didn't," Leonardo responded with a frown. "All you said was that she's waiting for a kit of some kind."

Elizabeth let out a laugh as she brought three bowls of hot soup to the table. "A kit is a baby bunny," she informed him.

The young ninja's face warmed again. "Oh."

As the petite redhead sat down to eat, there was a tiredness behind her eyes, but at the same time she had a distinct glow about her. The radiant smile she wore almost never left her face as she and Usagi chattered. Leonardo ate in silence, while in his head he found himself picturing what the future parents were talking about. It was strange, but he imagined the two of them picking out baby clothes, creating a nursery, deciding on names, while the whole time they waited anxiously for their little one to arrive.

It was an odd thing to be picturing out of the blue, and so was the feeling building inside him as the images continued to play in his mind. And then it hit him: he was envious.

The crazy thought was pushed back where it came from as Leonardo gave his head a shake of disbelief. It was just plain weird for him to be longing all of a sudden to be a parent—not to mention futile. He and Lotus would never...

Usagi noticed the way his shoulders suddenly sagged and frowned. "Is something wrong?"

The young ninja forced a smile as he sat up straight again. "No—just enjoying the soup. It's delicious, by the way."

Elizabeth beamed, and he went on eating as she and Usagi started chattering again. Leonardo tried not to listen, or to let more images form in his head...but he couldn't quite manage either.

* * *

Donatello pulled in a deep breath as he gazed around at the large, crisp laboratory he was in. His brothers would call him weird if they knew, but he loved how labs smelled. So sterile and free of dust, so pungent with the odor of chemicals. He would give just about anything to have an environment like this all to himself: rows and rows of shelves and storage cabinets, neatly arranged tables, perfectly organized desks, a seemingly endless network of computers. Every last detail was precise and tidy. Even the sheets of white paper on the table he was standing next to were stacked to perfection, without so much as a corner out of place.

After taking another breath, Donatello turned to the tall, slender woman beside him. She was smartly dressed in a black linen skirt and a starched white lab coat. Her pale, sun-kissed blond hair was pulled back in a bun, her gray eyes focused on the clipboard in her hand as she recorded something. The expression on her face was serious, the air around her all business, but the reptilian scientist smiled as he asked, "Is everything going well, Dr. Morris?"

"Very, thank you," was the brief response. Her soft voice bore a rich Welsh accent. "I think we've been making real progress on our latest project."

He first met Dr. Morris right after he came back to Europe, when the two of them bumped into each other at a computer expo—literally. But instead of drawing back in surprise or hurrying away in fear, the female scientist had merely smoothed her skirt, straightened her glasses and said, "I insist on having you down in our lab sometime."

Ordinarily an invitation like that would have made him nervous—and at the time it kind of had, a little—but he soon learned that the older scientist knew all about him from the many times his and his brothers' exploits had been captured on camera. His reputation preceded him, and she wanted him to come to the lab so she could get his opinions.

He'd dropped by to visit almost daily ever since.

Dr. Morris was thoughtfully tapping her pen against her bottom lip, her brow furrowed as her gray eyes combed over her notes. She was a skilled biochemist and meticulous about recording every detail throughout the day. Donatello loved talking to her, because he could actually talk the way he wanted to talk—no need to dumb down his language.

She seemed to enjoy his company in return, but this evening he could tell by her frosty attitude that she was too busy for small talk. Looking up from her clipboard, she adjusted her wire frames and said, "It's already getting late and we have a long way to go before we're done analyzing the new compound."

Taking the hint, Donatello nodded. "I'll come back another time."

As he started for the door, Dr. Morris spoke up again, the frostiness leaving her voice. "We ought to be done by morning, so you're welcome to come back then."

He actually had other plans, but the reptilian scientist paused to smile at her. "I'll be here."

* * *

After Leonardo went home, Elizabeth tidied the kitchen before relaxing with a cup of hot tea. She'd never felt so comfortable as she had these last few months. Everything was so right and fit so perfectly—including herself in her own skin. The chapter of her old life had closed and a new one was just beginning. A new life with her amazing husband and their future bundle of joy. Smiling to herself, she set her empty teacup aside and ran a hand over her middle.

She couldn't feel her stomach a whole lot through the thickness of her houmongi and obi, both of which were made from a plush, downy cotton. She loved her new outfit even more than her yukata, which had been put aside for its most common use; relaxing in after a hot bath. The softer colors she now wore were more to her taste, and she liked how the houmongi was traditionally worn by a married woman. Much more practical than, say, the flirty furisode. Shorter, snugger sleeves were a must when one was working in the kitchen and taking care of small children.

Of course, these were the traditions of Usagi's world and day, which were outdated in their world's modern Japan. Nowadays an outfit like hers was mostly worn for ceremonial purposes and not everyday use. She could just imagine how amused their Japanese neighbors must be by her wardrobe habits.

Smiling again, Elizabeth got up and rested her fingers on her middle. A second later she pursed her lips. "Are you sure I'm not showing already?" she asked, eyeing herself critically.

Her husband let out a laugh as he came to her side. "My love, I would be surprised if you have gained an ounce."

Elizabeth poked her belly doubtfully. "I just figured this pregnancy is going to go quicker than normal," she noted.

"Why would it?" Usagi wondered.

"Ummm, no reason," the redhead mumbled, flushing. "Just anxious to meet her."

In truth she had been thinking about how hybrid pregnancies between a human and a nonhuman supposedly developed faster—but since all of the instances she was picturing weren't real, that was just plain silly. She smiled innocently at her husband, who gazed at her warmly in return as he put his arms around her, hand pressing over her belly. "I know just how you feel."

They held each other for a while, content to stand in silence and just picture what the future held for them. When they parted they went to give the animals their afternoon meal—though there weren't very many animals to feed right now. They'd had an increase in adoptions over the last few weeks and most of the four-footed shelter residents that had become her friends had new homes. She was happy for them, but there was no denying that she missed them, and that the shelter felt a little lonely without them.

The shelter was especially quiet today, too—until someone knocked on the front door, making Hyena bark savagely. Elizabeth absently rested a quieting hand on his head before answering the door. Waiting outside was a young man she recognized from when he visited them a few days ago. "Can I help you?" she asked as she invited him inside.

"I sure hope so. I came to ask if that magnificent dog is still available for adoption. I've never seen anything like him and I'd love to take him home."

Heart plummeting at the thought, Elizabeth turned to look at the dog in question. "I..."

Hyena flattened his ears, black eyes snapping as they narrowed. "No," he said lowly, dangerously.

Elizabeth quickly turned back to the expectant visitor. "I'm sorry, but he's not up for adoption. He's mine."

"Oh." The young man visibly drooped. "That's too bad."

But it wasn't long before he found an alternative. He was soon hurrying home with a delighted, squirming puppy in his arms, who chattered a mile a minute even though his new owner couldn't understand a word he was saying. Relieved, Elizabeth waved goodbye before closing the door.

Hyena looked relieved, too. "Guess you'd better register me, just to be safe," he said.

"Not if you don't want me to."

"Of course I do. There'll never be anyone else who understands me the way you do, so from now on I go where you go no matter what. If I can't be with you I'd rather be dead."

He turned away and laid down. Elizabeth burst into tears.

"What in the world did you say to her?" Usagi demanded angrily as he hurried over to take her in his arms. Sniffling, Elizabeth pressed her face against his shoulder.

"He just said the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

* * *

"Good morning, Dr. Morris," said Donatello when he strolled into the lab first thing the following day. "I trust everything is on schedule."

"Indeed," said the female scientist, who was smiling warmly today. "We have the new compound ready for transportation."

Donatello didn't know all the details about what they were working on, but he was pleased to hear things were going well. The other scientists went on working as the two of them continued to talk—but even though they were discreet about it, he didn't fail to notice the stares. It didn't bother him. You couldn't blame them for being curious.

Suddenly one of them called to Dr. Morris; her warm smile was immediately replaced by a cooler expression as she left the turtle's side and crossed the room. She was always like that. Friendly when she wasn't focused on work and frosty when she was. Donatello found the way she shifted moods so quickly intriguing.

While she talked to some of her colleagues in her most neutral voice, the young ninja's eyes wandered. They leisurely combed over the lab that was starting to feel homey to him—until his gaze fell on a nearby table, where it came to a halt on a stack of papers that seemed to jump out at him. His mood turning to one of shock, he went over and lifted the first paper on the stack. No doubt about, it was the formula for—

"Put that down," Dr. Morris ordered sharply, "I just finished organizing them."

Donatello jumped in surprise and hastily put the formula down again. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "But I feel I should tell you that—"

The shrilling of an alarm cut him off. _Too late_ , he thought, groaning inwardly.

Eyebrows lifting above her frames, Dr. Morris set her clipboard down and moved out into the hall, which was already becoming a confusion of bodies rushing every direction at once. Donatello quickly followed.

The source of the confusion was coming from a room at the end of the hall. They were both stopped at the doorway; inside, there was already a group of men in protective suits, trying to clean up. "What happened?" the female biochemist asked, calm despite the alarm and the raised voices.

"Something I was about to warn you might happen," Donatello told her, a note of apology in his voice.

"Meaning?"

"I know the formula that made my brothers and I what we are forward and backward. I don't know how you came across it here, but I wish I had known about it sooner so I could help keep something like this from happening."

"Which was what, exactly?" Dr. Morris asked, turning to the man guarding the door.

"We're not sure who's responsible," he answered, "but it looks like someone left those corroded canisters we were ready to dispose of too close to the containers holding the new compound. They were weakened enough for it to leak."

"I trust no one came into contact with it."

"No one, Doctor. Only a cat."

Donatello almost slapped his own forehead. 'Only' a cat, he says.

Looking pained all of a sudden, Dr. Morris pulled off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I assume the cat was moved."

"It's been isolated in a room next to where the other lab animals are kept. I'm, uh, not sure you can still call it a cat, though."

Donatello wondered the very same thing. Keeping pace with Dr. Morris' brisk stride, he hurried to see for himself.


	24. Big Adjustments

While Dr. Morris paced the length of her office with an unhappy frown on her face, Donatello sat at her desk...and tried not to make any weird sounds.

"I can't tell you how awful this makes me feel," said the older scientist. She looked frazzled, yet still managed to stay perfectly neat—not a hair out of place. "After a mistake as foolish as this, they'll shut down the lab."

"But only temporarily, right?" asked Donatello, voice strained.

Dr. Morris gave an absent nod. She had her arms folded and was tapping the tip of her thumb against her bottom lip. "I suspect many of my colleagues would love to acquire her for study," she said, nodding to the cat they had found and removed from the other room. "But given her ownership I would prefer it if that didn't happen."

"Why?" the young turtle wondered. He wobbled dangerously and had to grab the sides of his seat to keep from toppling off. "Whose cat is she?"

The biochemist stopped pacing and faced him with a sigh. "Mine."

The mutated cat in question was currently curled up in his lap, having no concept yet that she was now roughly four-and-a-half feet tall and shaped like a human. Thank goodness she didn't weigh much...though his legs were starting to feel a little numb.

"Do you think, maybe, she would get off if I asked her nicely?" he wondered, as the cat-creature rubbed her head against his arm and purred loudly.

Dr. Morris smirked. "I tend to doubt it. She seems pretty attached to you already."

"Swell."

Still purring, the newly mutated cat started chewing on his wrist band.

"I wouldn't find it too flattering. She's only a kitten, so she loves everyone."

"So, what's the plan, then?" Donatello asked, grunting as the 'kitten' tried to roll over and curl up for a nap.

"My only thought at this point is to be honest about the accident itself and less honest about the impromptu metamorphosis."

"In what way?"

"I feel it would be best for all involved if we let word get out that she perished shortly after her exposure."

"You want to lie to the scientific community?" Donatello started to ask—just as the mutant kitten lost her balance and tumbled over his arm and onto the floor. For a second she looked startled, but then she yawned, curled up on her back, and playfully batted at a dangling lamp cord.

"It was fortunate you were able to stay hidden," Dr. Morris said, "until you were old enough to handle being discovered. She's only a baby. She doesn't understand anything yet, least of all what's happened to her. I can't in good conscience allow her to be poked, prodded, scanned—and if someone feels necessary, dissected."

Donatello glanced down as a fuzzy cheek started rubbing against his foot. Despite now having the body of a young adult—a rather shapely one at that—he knew the doctor was right. She not only had the mind of a cat, but also a child. Handing her over even to scientific minds he respected seemed too cruel.

"All right," he finally agreed. "But what do you plan to do with her after you fake her death?"

Dr. Morris nibbled the tip of her thumb as she thought. "Find her a safe place to live, I suppose. Someplace where there's little chance she'll be bothered."

"And how are you going to find such a super haven?" Donatello wanted to know.

But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew exactly where the mutant kitten was going to end up.

* * *

Holding his tongue between his teeth, Raphael studied the cards in his hand before looking at his opponent, who was lying on her stomach and casually kicking her feet behind her. "So? Whatcha got?"

"Hey, you have to pay to see, buddy."

Monalisa grinned coyly over her cards and kicked her feet again. Raphael drummed his fingers on his knee as he checked over the messy pile of candy and random objects in front of him. "Okay, ummmm...I'll see you with a Starburst, and raise you two Gummi Worms."

Lisa poked through her own pile for a moment, tossed in the requested junk food, then lay down her hand. "Straight," she announced proudly.

"Nuts," the red-clad ninja muttered. He had thought his full house was a sure thing.

With a yawn of disinterest, Monalisa rolled onto her back and stretched her slender arms. A second later she bolted up with a cry of dismay, her eyes on the clock. "Is that really how late it is?"

"So it seems," said Raphael, unconcerned that it was after midnight. "It's a long walk to your place," he went on, as the lean mutant scrambled to grab her things. "You could always stay here for the night."

Even though Michelangelo and Splinter were sleeping nearby in their rooms and he was gesturing to the couch, the suggestion made her cheeks darken. "I better not. My parents are probably worried sick as it is. Besides," she went on, grinning suddenly as she pulled on her coat, "my dad is just like any other dad when it comes to boys and his little girl."

Raphael merely shrugged as he got to his feet, his expression casual. The two of them had broken the news about her friendship with other mutant reptiles—and about how the two of them had become more than friends. They had waited a while before breaking that second part to them, and by then her parents had figured out from the way they looked at each other how they really felt, so they weren't surprised. They were understandably a little uncertain about their daughter having a boyfriend so soon after coming back into their lives—especially a boyfriend who was so unique—but since he was the one who helped get her back to them, they'd come to accept him.

"You think I'd try something down here?" he said mildly. "Don't be silly. If I wanted to have my way with you, I'd sneak into your room and ravish you."

Monalisa blushed until she was crimson. "You're incorrigible," she said, before tugging her hat down over her ears.

"And that's why you love me. See you tomorrow?"

"You know it."

She gave him a quick hug, chastely kissed his cheek, then hurried off. With a yawn, Raphael dropped back on the couch, but he didn't go to sleep right away. He had only been kidding a minute ago, but...he honestly _had_ had fantasies about sneaking in through her bedroom window and...

He couldn't help it. He loved her with all his heart, and he was ready to show her that love every way possible, including physically. But every time he tried to nudge conversation in that direction, she would act uncharacteristically embarrassed and change the subject. It would annoy him...if he didn't think it was so darn cute.

* * *

"I just have one question," Donatello said tiredly. "Well, maybe a few more than one, but we'll start there."

Dr. Morris looked just as tired as he felt, but she smiled. "Go on."

"Why is her coloring so strange?"

The cat-creature lying at his feet had since closed her eyes and looked like she had fallen asleep. The fur covering her humanoid body was thick and snowy white, while the impressive mane of hair on her head was deep purple. One of her fuzzy eyelids slanted open and a periwinkle blue eye blinked at him. Her mouth opened briefly in a yawn, displaying needle-like fangs; her eye closed again.

"I was wondering that myself," said Dr. Morris. "She was white before this happened, but I can't explain the purple hair."

Donatello figured she'd say something like that. "Can I use your phone? It's long distance, so I'll try to be quick."

The female biochemist flashed another smile before turning and heading for the door. "Take as long as you need, I'm sure this will take time to explain. If you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for moving her out of here."

She left, and Donatello grabbed the phone off the desk and dialed home. They'd always had a land line in case a Turtle-com was either lost or didn't work—like when the caller was on another continent and completely out of range.

It was roughly two in the morning at home, so it didn't surprise him when a cranky voice came on the line and said, "This better be an emergency. If you're trying to sell something, you'll soon be having one."

"It's me," Donatello said quickly. "I'll be blunt: I'm coming home and I'm not coming back alone."

There was a pause, and then Raphael stifled a yawn and quipped, "How so? You find a girlfriend over there or something?"

"No," the reptilian scientist said testily. He quickly explained about the accident.

"You're joking," was the response when he finished.

"No," Donatello sighed, "they really had no idea that they had—"

"I'm not talking about _that_ , I'm talking about what you're saying. You seriously plan to bring a giant mutant cat home? Did you forget how Splinter feels about those things?"

He had, but it was too late to make other plans. "I have to. They'll dissect her if I just leave her here."

"If she eats our old sensei, _I'll_ dissect her."

Donatello let out a weary sigh and rubbed between his eyes. "I won't let that happen."

"You better not. Any other news?"

"Not at the moment. How are things over there?"

"About how you'd expect. Leonardo and Lotus are busy being newlyweds and Michelangelo is still sulking over Elizabeth. Oh—speaking of which, Leonardo went to see them the other day."

"And?"

"And he says Lizzie has a bunny in the oven."

For a second Donatello was appalled, his tired brain not comprehending any other meaning behind his brother's words other than picturing a woman married to a rabbit putting a rabbit roast in the oven...but then it sank in.

Rubbing between his eyes again, he sighed, "Raphael, you really need to watch what comes out of that mouth of yours."

"What'd I say now?" the sarcastic turtle demanded impatiently.

"Forget it. But it'll be interesting to see how this turns out. It's remarkable they were able to conceive at all, even if they're both mammals, given the differences in things like metabolic rates and..."

He trailed off, practically able to hear his brother's eyes glazing over. "Tell them I said congrats. I'll be home just as soon as we smuggle the subject out of here."

He hung up a second before Dr. Morris came back into her office. "Everything's ready. We'll be taking a private plane straight to New York."

"Are you coming with?" Donatello asked in surprise.

"Of course. All of us have to move to another facility anyway until the cleanup and standard procedures following a leak like this are finished. It could be months before this place is open again, so I contacted an outfit I'm already familiar with in New York and made arrangements for now."

"Ah."

Honestly, he was relieved. He had been more than a little wary about handling this all on his own. "Is everything set to move the subject out of here?"

"Transportation is ready and waiting. And her name is Rebecca."

* * *

Michelangelo tried to focus on the monster movie that was blaring on the TV, but his mind refused to stop wandering. He couldn't stop thinking about the bombshell Leonardo had dropped the other day. Elizabeth Cassidy—scratch that, Elizabeth Yojimbo—was going to be a mom. For him the thought was too weird for words. He didn't get how this happened.

Okay, he got _how_ , but...he was trying not to think about how close his furry bud had gotten to his Lizzie.

 _She's not your Lizzie anymore,_ he reminded himself harshly. He really needed to stop thinking of her that way, and he'd been trying hard not to ever since the wedding. But even when he started making progress and felt like he didn't miss her as much as he missed having someone to call his own, he would slip and do something like think of her as 'his Lizzie'. And the ironic part about trying so hard not to think about something...you were just about constantly thinking about it. It was getting on his nerves, and he was pretty sure all his brooding was getting on everyone else's nerves, too.

And then something happened that made him forget all about his sour mood, his lost Lizzie, and everything else.

Over the roaring monsters and screaming pedestrians on TV, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps running in one of the outer tunnels. A second later a familiar voice yelled, "Rebecca, wait!"

Michelangelo set his bowl of popcorn down and looked over his shoulder curiously. Before running off first thing this morning (to see Monalisa, of course) Raphael mentioned that Donatello was flying back to New York, along with a vague comment about him bringing company with him. He hadn't bothered with details and Michelangelo didn't think anything of it—until he saw something white and fluffy streak into the room.

It ran by so fast and low to the floor, it disappeared from sight before he had a chance to see what it was. Startled, he listened for a moment, then turned to look at the arm of the couch opposite of the one he was leaning on. There was movement next to the couch—and a second later a pair of slanted blue eyes were blinking at him from beneath a wild tangle of purple hair. A small pink nose twitched, while pointed, cat-like ears swiveled.

Michelangelo almost let out a yelp of surprise as the mysterious creature hopped up to perch on the arm without warning. Now that it was in full view, 'it' was obviously a she. Her nose continued to twitch as she tilted her head this way and that, her furry face the very picture of innocent curiosity. Slowly, she crawled off the arm and onto the couch, slinking like a feline despite her humanoid body. Eyes still brimming with curiosity, she poked his shell with her slender fingers like a kitten prodding something with its paw.

She started poking his bandana just as Donatello hurried into the room, looking worn out and cranky. "Behave yourself, Rebecca," he scolded. "Get down."

'Rebecca' eyed him curiously for a second before turning and hopping down from the couch. Her full, bushy tail swished behind her as she started roaming the living room on all fours. Michelangelo watched her, feeling as curious as the cat-creature looked as she poked and prodded everything in sight.

"What exactly is going on here?" he asked—just as a lamp teetered and fell with a crash. "Who is that and where did she come from?"

Ordinarily Donatello enjoyed giving detailed explanations, but right now he was cross and had heavy bags under his eyes, and he only gave a brief rundown of the accident at the lab. "Leaving her in Europe didn't seem like a good idea. She'll be safer and better understood here."

"Safer? Better understood?" Michelangelo echoed dryly. Rebecca paused in front of the TV and hissed at the monster onscreen. "How do you figure that?"

Donatello hastily switched off the set. "She's a fellow mutant," he explained impatiently. "Nobody's going to understand her better than us."

He had a point, but the orange-clad turtle eyed the mutant kitten bounding around the room doubtfully. "Maybe so," he said, as she ran out of the room and came back with the kitchen tablecloth in her mouth. "But you have to admit, she acts kind of funny. It's like she doesn't know she's not a regular cat anymore."

"That's because she doesn't—at least not yet. She only mutated less than a day ago. It took us a while to adjust to walking on two legs, too. You can't expect her to figure out that she's no longer a four-pound kitten overnight."

"I just hope she figures it out before she wrecks the place," Michelangelo noted, as he watched the mutant kitten in question start to shred the checkered tablecloth with her sharp claws.

"We're working on teaching her," Donatello said wearily, before covering a lengthy yawn. "I haven't had any sleep since yesterday, and now I'm jet-lagged. I need to take a nap for a few hours."

"And leave me alone to babysit?"

"It'll be fine. She's playful, but she's harmless."

Michelangelo tried to protest, but the reptilian scientist was already hurrying off to bed, yawning again.

"Great."

He turned to Rebecca, who had lost interest in what was left of the tablecloth. Sitting on her haunches, she looked up at him like she was trying to understand what he just said. Her left ear twitched; she started to lift her foot like she was going to scratch it, then paused, a funny look on her face. Nose wrinkled, she put her foot back down and scratched her ear with her hand instead.

Michelangelo watched silently as she started roaming on all fours again, eyes eager and nose twitching faster than ever. He was at a loss how he was going to entertain her for the next few hours. It wasn't like they had any cat toys on hand. Or any cat food, either.

The second that thought entered his mind, he felt a cold chill. "Uh-oh..."

He could think of one thing in the lair a mutant cat might like to eat. And Rebecca was heading straight for him.


	25. Room For One More

"Are you ready to order dessert?"

Leonardo took a quick glance at the dessert menu of the café that had become his and Lotus' favorite place to stop for lunch after an afternoon of shopping. "Ummm, I'll have vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate sauce," he decided. "Or, as the French say, _crème glacée_."

He grinned as he passed the waiter his menu, then looked at his wife, who was smiling at him as she sipped a small glass of wine. "You have been in rare form today," she noted. "Not to mention last night."

His cheeks warmed at her bringing that up out here—but more from pride than embarrassment. Settling back in his wrought iron chair, his eyes wandered the patio as he waited for his dessert. He was starting to recognize the faces of the other regulars—especially the cute mother-daughter duo that was here the first time.

They were down to the last few bites of their lunch, playfully pretending to steal forkfuls from the other's plate and giggling. Leonardo watched them for a while, a faint smile on his face—and before he realized what was coming out of his mouth, he said, "Bet you'd like to be in her shoes someday, huh?"

He cringed as soon as the words were spoken—where did _that_ come from?—and cringed harder as Lotus gave both him and the happy mother in question a strange look. Not surprisingly, she went back to her wine without comment.

Leonardo felt like kicking himself. Lotus didn't know anything about his abrupt urge to have a family, and he didn't plan on telling her, either. It would only make her feel bad...or maybe, she wouldn't care at all. It was obvious that being a mother didn't spark her interest. Not that it mattered either way. Parenthood wasn't in their future. He couldn't help feeling bad about it, even if she wasn't concerned about it right now...because there was always the possibility she might change her mind someday.

Looking at her now, he knew that day was a long way off. She had been the picture of happiness ever since their wedding day. For the very first time, her life felt full and whole to her—complete. She was content with what she had—with what they both had. Their being together had brought an end to her loneliness, and her mind was focused only on the here and now, enjoying what they shared together. And Leonardo knew he should be doing the same.

Pushing his thoughts away and smiling, he took his wife's hand and kissed it tenderly. "Where to after this?"

"It does not matter," said Lotus, her eyes loving. "As long as I have you with me."

* * *

"W-wait," Michelangelo called desperately. "Kitty, wait!"

He tried to chase after her, but the mutated feline was awfully nimble, running on all fours and expertly weaving in and out of the rooms like she already knew the place. By the time he caught up to her, she had found Splinter's room.

The large rodent had been meditating quietly, his eyes closed; he opened them curiously when he heard the rapid patter of footsteps coming into his room—and was cut off mid-yelp as Rebecca tackled him.

"No! Bad kitty!" Michelangelo scolded, tripping over the rim of the doorway as he rushed to pull her away. Panting, he hastily made a grab for the large feline as she snuffled the astonished rodent she was sitting on—hopefully getting her away before the snuffling graduated to gnawing. But just as his fingers snatched for her bushy tail, she made a happy sound and jumped off. Purring now, she bounded over to and crouched by a nearby table, snatched up the box of sushi there and started stuffing a piece into her mouth.

Splinter sat up slowly, looking a little dazed. "Michelangelo, what in the world—"

"Donatello came home with her," the sheepish turtle fumbled to explain. "He said some lab over in Europe made her by accident."

A look of displeasure in his dark eyes, Splinter studied the cat-creature as she licked the last of his breakfast from her slender fingers. "And he means for her to stay with us from now on?"

"I, um, guess so," Michelangelo mumbled, fidgeting.

After a long silence, Splinter gathered himself up, smoothed his kimono, and picked up his walking stick. "I believe I would like some air."

He breezed out of the room. Sighing, the orange-clad turtle turned to Rebecca. "See what you did?"

The mutant kitten stopped cleaning herself and cocked her head at him, periwinkle eyes inquisitive. It was an expression so innocent, it made his annoyance evaporate. "Never mind. Just stay out of trouble from now on, okay?"

Her round eyes blinked, her head cocking the other way. "O-kay?" she repeated, her voice high and childish. It sounded like she was testing the word out and probably didn't know what it meant.

"Guess we've got a lot to teach you," he mused.

It was a task so big it was a little scary to think about—especially if her mind was as undeveloped as Donatello suggested earlier. As he watched her roam around on all fours for a while, inspecting everything in sight like all of it was brand new to her eyes, he soon concluded that she probably didn't know or understand much more than a human baby would.

Kind of funny since she, like the four of them when they first mutated, already had the body of someone in their very early teens. They were going to have to teach her not to prowl around with her butt in the air like that, because from the looks of her she was only going to get curvier as time went on.

The rest of his afternoon was spent chasing their new sewermate around and keeping her out of mischief. She wasn't deliberately bad; she just wanted to touch anything and everything she could get her new hands on. By nightfall, Michelangelo was worn out and ready for a nap.

It was almost dinnertime when Raphael came strolling in, whistling cheerfully. He yelped in surprise a second later as Rebecca bounded up and pounced on him, hands on his shoulders and shell to the wall as she sniffed him curiously.

"Hey, easy, lady—I've got a girlfriend."

Michelangelo snorted. "Give it a rest," he muttered. "She's just a kitten."

Feeling protective all of a sudden, he coaxed Rebecca away and nudged her in the direction of the couch. "Go on—go play with a cushion or something. That's a girl."

With a delighted giggle, the kitten pounced the nearest throw pillow and happily rolled onto her back, tossing the pillow up and catching it. Raphael watched for a minute, a funny look on his face. "I take it she's the one Donatello said he was bringing home," he noted. "This is going to take a little getting used to."

As if summoned by his comment, the purple-clad turtle came into the living room with a yawn and a stretch. Looking well-rested, he said, "I trust everything went smoothly this afternoon."

"Nothing broken," Michelangelo said dryly. "Not permanently, anyway."

Ignoring the meaningful look his brother shot him, Donatello went and leaned over the back of the couch. "Hey, Becky. Have you been a good girl?"

Her eyes lighting up with recognition, Rebecca dropped the pillow and hopped up, hugging the turtle around the neck happily. "Don-nie," she purred.

While she rubbed her furry cheek against the edge of his shell and Donatello petted her mane of purple hair, Michelangelo's ears suddenly picked up a funny clacking sound outside the lair. It was funny because most people didn't walk around down here in spiked heels. As he listened in mild disbelief, they came unmistakably closer, as if their owner knew exactly where their home was.

Just as he was wondering if it was someone they knew trying out a new kind of footwear, a blond woman he didn't recognize stepped into the room. Both he and Raphael hopped back in surprise. "Who—"

"It's okay," Donatello told them, "she's a friend of mine."

They both relaxed, though Michelangelo watched in curiosity at the stranger breezed past them, as if there was nothing unusual about the location or its occupants. She was pretty, if a little crisp in her black skirt and white blouse. Her face was slim, her cheekbones high and her lips full, and the gray eyes behind her glasses were sharp and bright.

Rebecca was bouncing up and down on the couch, her face alight with joy. "Ma-ma!"

The woman gave a warm smile as she drew her hand over the mutant kitten's head. Her expression quickly turned businesslike as she faced Donatello. "How was she today?"

"I'm not really sure," the reptilian scientist replied, his tone sheepish. "I just woke up."

"I got to be the cat-sitter," Michelangelo put in, not bothering to hide his pout.

"Don't be angry," the blond woman told him, her warm smile returning. "I also had to rest or else I would have been here to help you. It will take a little while for the two of us to adjust to the new time zone."

When she put it that way, it was easy to forget why he was annoyed in the first place. Still smiling, she held out her hand. "I'm Dr. Morris."

They exchanged a brief handshake before she returned her attention to her fellow scientist. "Based on the observations we made during the flight, I would say that while her mind is still in a relative state of infancy, her capacity to learn is well beyond that. Her mind is developed and ready for knowledge; she simply needs to learn. It shouldn't be that difficult to teach her."

"Should we get a collar and spray bottle until she learns not to claw the furniture?" Raphael joked.

Dr. Morris frowned at him, her eyes frosty. "Considering that her mind has the potential to be as capable as my own, that would be highly inappropriate."

Raphael made a face and went into the kitchen. Michelangelo stayed, watching as the doctor set the bag she was carrying on a table and opened it. She started pulling out basic child learning tools: wooden blocks carved with colorful letters and numbers, flash cards with pictures of animals, a mini chalkboard.

"I have plenty of comics," he offered.

Dr. Morris pursed her lips. "I think these will better stimulate her mind right now. She still needs to learn the basics, like colors, numbers, and the alphabet. She knows a few words already, but beyond our names she doesn't know what any of them mean yet."

Raphael came back into the room carrying cans of soda; he passed one to Michelangelo before parking himself in front of the TV. Only he didn't stay there long, since Dr. Morris crisply informed him that television would be too distracting for Rebecca right now.

"I only brought the essentials tonight," she noted, continuing to dig through her bag. "I imagine she would enjoy some picture books."

"I don't think we have any," said Michelangelo, tone apologetic.

"That's all right. I'll bring some with me tomorrow. For now, just keep her fed and she shouldn't be much trouble."

"I'm pretty sure she likes sushi," the orange-clad turtle told her, as she withdrew a thermos from her bag.

Dr. Morris gave a nod. "Fish," she murmured to herself. "I figured as much."

She took out a can of cat food and popped the lid off before turning to Rebecca. The mutant kitten stopped chewing on the throw pillow she'd picked back up and took several sniffs of the can being held out to her. Her pink nose wrinkled in distaste; she went back to chewing.

"I had a feeling she might react that way," Dr. Morris noted, her smile wry. "I'll make sure to bring her sushi when I come back with her books."

She unscrewed the cap off the thermos and held it out; this time Rebecca sniffed with interest. She grabbed the thermos with both hands and started lapping at the top...but then she paused, her eyes on Michelangelo. Or rather, he realized as he smiled between sips of soda, on how he was holding his drink. She sat on the floor, adjusted how she was holding the thermos and started imitating how he was sipping from the can. Only a few drops of milk spilled in the process; Rebecca licked her lips and went on sipping, looking pleased with herself.

"Fast learner," he commented, impressed.

"I'll be staying for now," said Dr. Morris. "She's the most comfortable with me, so I ought to be the one to start teaching her. None of you should be afraid to tutor her when I'm not around, however."

She smiled down at Rebecca, who had finished her milk and was cleaning the spilled drops off her fur. Michelangelo watched as she twisted to lick her own shoulder and wrinkled his nose. "I don't suppose you, uh, have any spare clothes for her?"

Dr. Morris looked at him in surprise. "What for? She already has a fully functional fur coat."

"True," said Donatello, "but she also has a human body now."

"So do you," Dr. Morris pointed out, sounding like she didn't see what the issue was. "And none of you are wearing anything worth mentioning."

Looking embarrassed now, the reptilian scientist shifted from one foot to the other. "Yes, but...we have shells, not..."

"Curves," Michelangelo finished, equally embarrassed.

Looking surprised again, Dr. Morris glanced at Rebecca, who had curled up on the rug and was purring in contentment. "I see. Since each of you are reptiles I hadn't foreseen that being a problem."

"It's not," Donatello said quickly. "It would just be a good idea to teach her modesty once she has her letters and numbers down."

Arms folded and thumb tapping against her bottom lip, Dr. Morris gave a nod of understanding. "If that's the case, it's fortunate that she didn't turn out curvier...or perhaps she might yet, if she grows any further as she ages. The function of the formula is to mutate anything organic that touches it to the form of whatever it was last in contact with, correct? She was most likely last in contact with me."

Donatello gave her slim figure a quick glance, brow furrowed. "But you're not that..."

He quickly shut his mouth, cheeks reddening. Michelangelo was tempted to make a crack about him needing a little seasoning to go with the foot he'd almost put in his mouth...but he wasn't anxious to jump into this particular conversation.

Dr. Morris was lifting her pale eyebrows, frosty eyes focused on the purple-garbed ninja. "Have you ever seen me naked?"

"Of course not!" Donatello cried, turning redder than Raphael's bandana.

"Then you wouldn't know that under my regular clothes I always wear a leotard in addition to my other underclothes. You aren't the only ones distracted by curves. My fellow scientists need to keep their minds on their work."

Smirking now, she went to grab her bag off the table. Donatello was busy staring at his toes and imitating a tomato.

"At this point I doubt she would understand what clothes are for or how to dress herself, so I'll wait at least a few months before I broach the idea to her."

With that, she sat down with Rebecca and spent the rest of the evening showing her flash cards and other nursery school tools, starting with teaching her the ABCs. Rebecca thought it was all a game and kept laughing in delight. She had a pretty cute laugh, Michelangelo noted to himself.

The rest of them kept out of the way and let the female scientist work. She was just about ready to wrap it up for the night when Splinter came home, a box of sushi in hand. He casually passed it to Donatello. "For the young lady," he said, before heading to his room. Rebecca eyed him with obvious interest, but she didn't move away from her 'mama'.

"Don't worry," said Dr. Morris, after noticing their uneasy expressions. "When housed together domestically, felines and rodents get along better than most people realize. Rebecca was born around lab rodents, so she views them as playthings, not food."

"As long as she doesn't try to play with her teeth," said Raphael doubtfully, as he watched the playful kitten gnaw on a wooden block.

Dr. Morris took it from her gently. "It's only instinct. Once she understands what is and isn't food, the chewing will stop. Correct her firmly, but always be gentle: don't yell. She's really quite sensitive."

After checking her watch, she stood and shouldered her bag. "It's time for me to go. I'll be back just as soon as I can."

When Rebecca figured out she was leaving, she started to cry. "Ma-ma," she pleaded, sniffling pitifully as she clung to her, her furry cheeks quickly growing damp.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Morris said with a sad smile, "but I need to go to work now."

It took some coaxing, but Rebecca eventually let go and watched, sniffling, as the pretty scientist left. Her interest in food or toys gone, the sad kitten curled up on the couch and drifted tearfully off to sleep. Michelangelo placed a blanket over her before tiptoeing to the kitchen with his brothers; he put Rebecca's sushi in the fridge before helping start on a late dinner. Splinter came in just as they were sitting down to eat.

"We weren't like that at that stage, were we?" Raphael asked as the aging rodent put a teakettle on the stove.

Michelangelo almost kicked him under the table. "You just _had_ to ask that," he groaned.

Splinter merely chuckled, his smile loaded with amusement, as he gladly launched a series of tales from their time as newly mutated turtles.


	26. More to Love

By the time New York was blanketed in snow and December was coming to a close, the lair settled into a new routine. Donatello mostly stayed home and worked on his inventions in his spare time, Michelangelo kept an eye on Rebecca between sewer-surfing, Raphael was almost always gone before breakfast and rarely came back before dark, and Dr. Morris, who worked odd hours since she was still new, usually dropped by every morning to see how Rebecca was doing.

When she wasn't around, the rest of them did their best to help tutor the young mutant, but in the end the one who handled her education the most was Splinter.

The two of them would spend hours in his room every day, poring over the young mutant's growing collection of books and toys together. "What's this?" Rebecca would ask, and point to a picture in one of her books.

"A horse," Splinter would reply.

"This?"

"A violin. A musical instrument."

"This tuna fish," Rebecca once giggled, after finding an ad in a magazine. "Sushi is better."

Her vocabulary was still limited, her manner of speech childish, but the words she knew for sure, the most important words for her to know right now, were each of their names, sushi, and 'what's this?'

One morning Donatello woke up and almost tripped as he got out of bed; Rebecca was lying on her belly on the floor, happily coloring in a coloring book. "Don-nie," she greeted with a smile, tail swishing.

No matter how early any of them got up, she was always awake first. Dr. Morris was confident she would adapt to a more regular sleep schedule, but for now she still slept like a cat, napping and rising whenever she felt like it.

"Morning, Becky," he told her with a smile, petting behind her ears. She beamed and went back to coloring.

In the kitchen, Raphael was grabbing a soda from the fridge and looked ready and eager to leave—like always. "I'm out of here," he called as he ran off.

"He and Monalisa should just glue themselves together already," muttered Michelangelo as he slouched at the table, chin in his hands.

"Jealous?" Donatello teased.

"No," the young ninja mumbled, darkening.

Rebecca came scampering in—she mostly moved around on two feet now—and hopped to perch on the chair next to him. "Big brother Mikey," she greeted happily, resting her head on his arm. Michelangelo couldn't help smiling at her.

"You hungry, Becky?" asked Donatello as he opened the fridge.

Rebecca nodded vigorously. They had all tried repeatedly to introduce her to their food of choice—and failed every time. The mutant kitten had her own ideas of what good food was and refused to eat or drink anything except sushi and milk. Michelangelo, ever persistent, grabbed a slice from the pizza Donatello warmed in the microwave and tossed a few chunks of raw fish on it.

"Want a bite?" he asked casually, wagging the slice enticingly.

Rebecca took a sniff, wrinkled her nose and firmly shook her head. The glass of milk Donatello handed her was happily accepted; he smiled and sat down with a sushi-free slice of pizza. The three of them were still eating when a familiar clacking announced the arrival of Dr. Morris. Rebecca jumped up from the table and threw her furry arms around her the second she walked through the door, making her stumble and drop her bag.

"Good morning to you, too," Dr. Morris said wryly as the white feline purred and rubbed her head against her coat collar.

"Mama smell nice," cooed Rebecca.

Dr. Morris stroked her dark hair before gently prying her off. "I got this for you," she said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a stuffed bear.

Rebecca snatched it up with a squeal of delight and ran off. After smoothing her clothes, the female scientist picked up her bag and came over to the kitchen table. "Mind if I help myself to a slice?"

"Feel free," Michelangelo offered.

"We'd hate to send a guest home hungry," Donatello added.

Smiling, the slender blond sat down to join them and even accepted the soda can he handed her. "How is she doing?" she asked, once her pizza slice was half-eaten. "Has she made any more progress?"

"She's doing great," Donatello replied with a smile. "She's well-behaved and learns fast. And she always wants to learn more."

"She never stops asking questions," added Michelangelo.

"Naturally," said Dr. Morris. "The day you stop asking questions is the day you stop learning."

Donatello grew quiet as a question that had been on his own mind lately popped back into his thoughts. Michelangelo shoved the last slice of pizza into his mouth and hopped up. "I'm going boarding," he announced as he left his dishes in the dishwasher.

"It's Saturday morning," Dr. Morris noted, her smile wry. "I would imagine you'd stay in and watch cartoons."

The hyper turtle darkened for the second time this morning. "Not since you told us too much TV might slow down Becky's learning," he mumbled, before scurrying away.

"It's amazing how quiet it is down here without that thing blaring all day," Donatello commented after he was gone. "Now he only puts it on when she's taking a nap."

He never thought his boisterous young brother would ever willingly give up TV, even for part of the time, but he noticed that when it came to Rebecca, there wasn't a whole lot Michelangelo wouldn't do. Even things he didn't want to do.

Now that the two of them were alone, his attention focused on Dr. Morris, who was wiping the last of her snack from her fingers with a napkin. Feeling shy, he asked the question that had been on his mind. "I've been meaning to ask you...what's your first name?"

A smile touched her lips as she looked at him over the top of her wire frames. "It's Brynn."

She smiled again, then took a long drink from her soda, eyes closed and head tipped back. All of a sudden, Donatello found himself wondering how she looked when she wore her hair loose instead of in a bun. He imagined it was long and soft, tumbling down around her shoulders. He fidgeted and looked down at his empty plate.

After draining the last of her soda, Brynn got up from the table. "It seems like Rebecca is adjusting to her new life just fine," she noted. "I'll continue to come by, but I don't think she needs me much anymore—except emotionally, of course."

Donatello looked up in surprise as she shouldered her bag. "Are you leaving already?"

"Unless there is something else that needs my attention, yes."

He couldn't think of any reason why she should stay, but he hated for her to go so soon. They'd barely talked—and there was no one else around he could talk to like the two of them did. He could talk to her for hours and never get bored. But he doubted she would stick around if the only reason he said he wanted her to stay was because he enjoyed her company.

He thought fast—and then it hit him. "Are you interested in hybrid pregnancies?"

* * *

Elizabeth stood in front of her bedroom mirror and looked herself over critically—which was a pain when your mirror was as small as hers. She didn't buy a bigger one because she only used it to style her hair, which was easier these days now that it was so much shorter.

Being as deeply in love with her blood-red curls as he was, the news that she wanted to cut them made Usagi frown, but she'd been firm about it. She worried about the coming days when her belly grew so big the weight of it forced her to lean back to keep her balance. Her knee-length hair was heavy and she didn't need to have something stupid happen, like fall over backwards or something. After explaining this, Usagi had softened and helped shorten her hair until it hung to a spot just above the small of her back.

Right now her curls were in a loose braid; it swung back and forth as she twisted to look at herself from side to side. She had just paused, hands on the small of her back and lips pursed, when her husband came into the room. He paused in the doorway, brow arched. "I thought I would find you dressed at this hour. Not that I mind learning you are otherwise," he added, as he nudged the door shut with his foot.

Lips still pursed, Elizabeth ran a hand over her bare belly. "I still say I'm showing already."

"My love, you are less than three months along. Our child is smaller than a grape."

Usagi had been doing a lot of reading lately about fetal development. He was quite proud of his new knowledge.

"Does this look like a grape to you?" his wife questioned, patting her stomach.

She wasn't getting round or anything, but her waistline was definitely thickening. Usagi merely chuckled as he came to stand at her side, hand resting over hers on her middle. "This is simply the result of how well you have been eating lately," he noted lovingly.

He propped his chin on her shoulder, his eyes on their reflections in the mirror. White fur against pale skin.

"Just trying to eat for two," she murmured.

Honestly, she was a little worried about her diet. One of the only things she was really sure of was that pregnant women needed folic acid, so she made sure to take vitamins and drink plenty of orange juice. She really wanted some professional advice, but she didn't think it was a good idea for her to just casually walking into the average doctor's office. Not with a pregnancy like hers.

Unaware of her thoughts, Usagi kissed her freckled shoulder. "No matter how plump you get, I will still love you," he told her warmly.

From somewhere down the hall, Hyena suddenly started barking savagely. "Ah—company."

Her husband went to answer the door as someone started knocking. Elizabeth quickly got dressed and went to see who it was. "Oh, hi Donatello," she greeted.

The young reptile wasn't alone; a pretty blond wearing a gray coat over her skirt and blouse was with him. "Hi, you two," Donatello returned with a smile. His expression turned serious as he looked downward, where Hyena was growling in his most unfriendly way. "And Hyena," he added. "This is—"

"Dr. Morris," the woman supplied with a smile, not bothered by the massive dog at all. She took Elizabeth's hand and shook it firmly.

"Doctor?" the petite redhead echoed. It was like they read her mind.

"I hope it wasn't rude of me," said Donatello, "but I told her about your, uh, current state of being."

Elizabeth brightened. "Oh—no. I've been wondering a lot lately if I'm doing the right things, but I didn't know who to ask."

"This isn't my area of expertise," said Dr. Morris, as she removed the large bag she was carrying from her shoulder. "But I've done plenty of study on human biology and procreation. I'd be happy to examine you."

The young girl glanced sideways at her husband, who had his nose in another prenatal care book. "Should I get undressed?" she asked casually.

Donatello turned pink. Usagi playfully stuck out his tongue. Dr. Morris chuckled. "That won't be necessary. Make yourself comfortable and I'll have a look."

Elizabeth was soon settled back on a sofa in one of the back rooms. Usagi was busy placing refreshments on a nearby table. "Tea?" he offered.

"I prefer coffee, if you have any," said Dr. Morris.

They didn't, but that wasn't why Elizabeth suddenly breathed a long sigh. "I want warm sake."

The pretty blond frowned in response. "Isn't that wine?"

"I know I can't have any," the small redhead quickly added. "I just got a taste for it at my wedding."

Having cravings for things she knew were bad for her baby was one of the many questions she had. With a smile full of affection, Usagi handed her a glass of orange juice. She sipped for the next few minutes while Dr. Morris preformed a fairly routine exam. She checked her pulse, listened to her heart, then shined a light into her eyes, ears, nose, and throat. "Do you have allergies?" the doctor questioned.

"Not that I know of."

"I thought as much. You have some of the clearest sinuses I've ever seen."

A good thing, too, considering how many animals she was surrounded with daily. Her orange juice forgotten, she watched curiously as Dr. Morris started checking her abdomen, prodding it gently for a few minutes before pressing the stethoscope on a spot near her naval.

While the doctor listened, her husband kept busy by chatting with Donatello. "Is everyone well?" he asked.

"Yes—just really busy," was the response, and the young scientist started describing his trip to Europe—along with the reason he came back home. As Elizabeth listened to him explain how their family had a new addition, she was practically bursting with curiosity and wanted to ask about her, but she wasn't supposed to talk right now. As she was moving the stethoscope around, Dr. Morris asked her more than once to breathe slower—or to hold her breath completely.

Finally, she straightened up. Elizabeth thought she had a funny smile on her face as she pulled the tips of the stethoscope out of her ears. "Would you like to have a listen?" she asked.

"Yes, please," the mother-to-be said eagerly.

After gently placing the tips in her ears, Dr. Morris returned the chest piece to her belly. Elizabeth made a face as her ears filled with a rushing sound. "What's that?"

"Internal fluid, mostly. Perfectly normal."

Behind her, Usagi and Donatello were watching with interest. "What sort of tool is that?" her husband wondered.

"It amplifies hearing," the reptile explained.

"My hearing is amplified enough," said the furry samurai in response, his tone slightly smug.

Elizabeth glanced at him with a smirk. "Did you ever hear anything all the times you've put your head on my stomach?"

"Well, no," he admitted, smirking in return. "Maybe just a little indigestion."

Dr. Morris drifted the chest piece lower. And then Elizabeth's ears flooded with a sound that made her catch her breath. "Is it supposed to be that fast?" she asked, her voice a tiny whisper.

The low pulsing in her ears was steady, but so rapid she could barely distinguish one beat from the next. Dr. Morris smiled reassuringly. "It's quite normal," she told her. "Especially for a lagomorph."

She moved her hand a little; the pulsing vanished. Elizabeth ached to hear it again. She must have had a look of amazement on her face, because Usagi suddenly came over and knelt beside the sofa. "May I listen?" he asked eagerly.

"Just a moment," said Dr. Morris. "We're not quite done."

She moved her hand just a little more, and the sound of her baby's brisk heartbeat returned. It made her own heart thump excitedly...but at the same time Elizabeth felt confused. "I didn't know you could hear a baby's heart on both sides like that."

"You can't," said the doctor. Her funny smile had returned.

The expectant mother frowned as her puzzlement grew, but nothing else was said as the stethoscope was taken from her ears and passed to her husband. "Then how...?"

She quickly went quiet as Usagi started listening to what she just heard—though she couldn't help laughing a little at the look of joyful wonder that touched his face. He looked as amazed as she felt; she quickly reached for his hand and squeezed it tight. "I love you," she whispered, eyes moist.

"I love _you_ ," he echoed. "Both of you."

Dr. Morris nudged the chest piece to the other part of her belly again. It wasn't far, but she could tell by the look that crossed Usagi's face that he heard that brief silence too. "Strange," he mused. "With a silence like that, you'd think there was nothing in between. But then, there would have to be two hearts."

Elizabeth's own heart stopped for a second. She pressed a hand to her mouth as her eyes did more than turn moist. "Usagi..."

His blue eyes were worried as he looked up at her. "What is the matter?"

Her pregnancy hormones were really starting to embarrass her. She never used to cry when she was happy, but now she did it all the time. With a quiet laugh, she dried her eyes before resting her hands on her middle. She couldn't hear the heartbeats anymore, but she would almost swear she could feel them. "Told you it wasn't just my eating habits."

Dr. Morris let out a chuckle and started putting her tools away. "If there's one thing you never do in this world," she told the puzzled samurai, "it's argue with a woman about her weight."

Usagi gave her a funny look, then turned to his wife, eyebrows raised. "And what does that mean?"

The laugh Elizabeth gave was overflowing with joy. "It means we're having twins."


	27. Confusion

After answering all of Elizabeth's many questions and giving her every bit of advice she possibly could, Dr. Morris left the animal shelter with Donatello.

"Her attitude is admirable," Brynn commented as the two of them moved through the snow-covered neighborhood at a slow pace. "She leads a highly unusual life, but I don't believe I've ever seen a happier mother."

"Everything you told her sure made her feel better," the young ninja said with a smile.

When she found out her babies were perfectly healthy and that she couldn't be caring for them any better, Elizabeth almost started crying again. The news had made him happy, too—happier than he would have thought. Even if she wasn't coming down to visit them anymore, the gentle redhead had become a part of their lives. Someone they all cared about, himself included.

She almost felt like family—which was kind of funny, all things considered.

"Why is that?" asked Brynn when he mentioned this to her.

"We've had our ups and downs. It's kind of a long story."

The pretty scientist suddenly stopped walking. Her eyes had lifted to a brightly glowing sign above their heads; Donatello looked up with her and saw that they were standing in front of a swanky Japanese restaurant.

Brynn smiled as she turned to him. "Tell me over dinner?"

He grinned in return. "Love to."

* * *

Michelangelo was sitting up in bed when a pair of periwinkle blue eyes peeked over the edge of his mattress. "Big brother Mikey?" said Rebecca sweetly.

The orange-clad ninja looked up from the comic he was reading. "What's up, kitten?"

The furry feline climbed up and knelt on the covers, a white carton with red lettering on the front in her hand. "What's this say?"

She pointed at the product name written in big block letters. "Milk," Michelangelo told her with a smile.

Her ears twitched as she let out a happy giggle. "Milk," she repeated in delight. She was always thrilled whenever she learned how a word she already knew how to say was spelled—especially a word she used a lot.

As she sipped from the small carton, Michelangelo returned his attention to his comic book. "You sure love milk, huh?" he remarked absently.

Rebecca set the carton down and moved closer until she was leaning on his arm. The reptile didn't mind; the lair was chilly this time of year and her fur coat was nice and warm. "Love?" she echoed, her voice full of the childish curiosity it always was when she heard a word she didn't know.

"Um..."

He tried to think how he could explain it. "It's how you feel about something that means more to you than other things," he finally said. "Something that makes you happy, something you never get tired of, something that makes you sad when it's gone."

That was the best way to describe how he felt about pizza, at least.

Periwinkle eyes blinked at him as Rebecca thought this over. He had a feeling it was a little too much for her to understand...and then she put her arms around him and cuddled her head on his shoulder with a happy smile. "Love you, big brother," she purred.

The young turtle felt an unexpected pang. She had come into their lives so fast—but fast arrival or not, fur coat and tail or not, repulsed by pizza or not, she was part of their family now. And like every member of his family, he wanted her to stay safe. She was young and innocent and needed to be protected. He never wanted her to be hurt, or to be seen by someone who didn't understand her, and called all the names he had been called so many times.

Wanting to shield her from all that made him wish he could hide her away in a protective bubble where she would never have to feel pain...but that was impossible, so he did the next best thing he could and hugged her to him. "Love you too, baby sister."

* * *

During dinner, Brynn proved herself to be no stranger to Japanese cuisine, expertly handling her chopsticks throughout the meal. Donatello couldn't remember the last time he'd touched a pair and tried to be discreet about how much he fumbled with his sesame noodles. After taking a bite from her bowl of fried rice and vegetables, Brynn sipped her wine. "Elizabeth was right," she noted, her tone low and relaxed. "Warm sake is habit-forming."

Donatello looked down at the glass in front of him, half-full of a dark liquid that fizzed, and couldn't help feeling immature. He stirred his bowl and almost dropped a chopstick before he managed to get another noodle in his mouth.

The slender scientist sitting across from him laced her fingers and rested her chin on them, her expression thoughtful. "Sounds like you've been through a lot together," she said, referring to what he had been telling her about everything that happened since Elizabeth came into their lives.

"We have," he agreed, "but she's been through the most."

It didn't feel right to go into detail about what she'd suffered while imprisoned by the Rat King—it was too personal to come from him—but his vague comments were enough for the sharp-minded woman to fill in the blanks on her own. Her gray eyes serious, she murmured, "She may be small, but she must be strong-willed to have pulled her life back together so fast."

"I know," Donatello said with a sigh, "that why it's been so hard for Michelangelo to get over her. She's special."

"She was really involved with your brother before she married her current inhuman husband?" Brynn asked.

He nodded.

"Curious," she said thoughtfully, before taking a long drink.

"I've wondered about that myself. She met me first and never acted like I was any different from her. It was almost like she's more comfortable around people like us than her fellow humans."

"She didn't seem bothered by me," said Brynn.

"You have a nice bedside manner," Donatello told her with a smile. "She's also grown a lot more confident since she met Usagi."

In exchange, the furred samurai was a lot less solemn, quicker to smile, laugh, and take part in the humor of others. It was nice how they brought out the best in each other.

Thinking about it made him breathe a sigh of lament. "Too bad she's so unique."

"How so?"

The young reptile smiled sadly. "There aren't a whole lot of girls out there who'd look at someone like me and see someone worth having a relationship with."

Brynn's eyes lowered as she fingered the edge of her sake cup. She murmured something Donatello didn't quite catch. Something that sounded kind of like, 'maybe you aren't looking hard enough.'

"Hm?"

The blond scientist smiled as she looked up. "You ready to go?"

He still had a partial bowl of noodles left but wasn't in the mood to struggle with the chopsticks anymore, so he grabbed a fork and swirled it around before taking one last bite, spaghetti-style (if Splinter were here he would have scolded him for his bad manners) and then paid for his part of the check. Outside, a gentle snow was falling, creating a quiet hush in the air as the two of them walked the empty street together.

Conversation between them was soft, drifting to the topic he enjoyed the most: science. For several minutes he let himself describe some of the new inventions and experiments he was working on, using complex terms and the biggest words he knew. Brynn merely responded with the occasional nod, her expression relaxed. No blank-eyed stares, no interruptions to ask what the heck he was talking about. It was wonderful.

Before he realized it, they had left the neighborhood the animal shelter was in and moved on to a street lined with ritzy, expensive businesses. One of them was a large, fancy hotel. Brynn paused at the base of the front steps. "Would you like to come up for a minute?"

The invitation caused a strange fluttering sensation in his stomach. "That's okay," he said, with a shuffle of his feet. "I should get home."

The smile she flashed was friendly, while the hand she gripped him with was firm. "Come on. I haven't tried to dissect you yet, have I?"

Donatello gave a nervous laugh as she led him up the steps. "Well, no. Not yet."

Dissection was the furthest thing from his mind. He was thinking about some of the movies he and his brothers secretly watched late at night after Splinter fell asleep—because the gentlemanly rodent would have a fit if he found out. He told himself that he was being silly as the two of them went inside. This was reality, not TV. She wasn't asking him up to her room for _that_.

The hotel was as fancy on the inside as it was on the outside. Light fixtures that glittered, genuine wood polished until it gleamed, glossy tile and plush carpet. They rode an elevator and came out on one of the highest floors, the hallways lined with dark red carpet and the walls papered in cream and brown. It looked like Brynn had fine—and expensive—taste, close enough to rival Lotus.

After unlocking the door to her room, the blond scientist shed her coat and hung it up. "Make yourself comfortable."

She took a moment to take off her heels while he looked around, impressed. Part of the floor was polished black tile with gold flecks, the rest off-white berber carpet. There was a sitting area to his left, with a plush cream loveseat and easy chair and a small coffee table made of a black metal frame and glass top. The rest of the furniture matched, giving the place an elegant, modern look.

Brynn crossed to the back of the room, footsteps soft on the carpet as she drew back a curtain to reveal a floor to ceiling window that covered over half the wall. The corner to her left was mostly hidden by another curtain. Judging by the vanity table and mirror he caught a glimpse of, that was the bedroom portion of the room.

The lighting in the room was low, the city lights outside the window glittering like stars as the snow continued to fall. Her smile casual, Brynn went to a short hallway off to the right. "Nature calls," she said, before disappearing from sight.

Donatello continued to look around silently, absently tapping his bare toes on the tile floor. To his right was an expensive-looking oak bar, complete with bottles of wine and champagne tucked in diamond-shaped nooks behind it, with rows of different kinds of glasses glinting on shelves. As he went closer, eyes scanning the shiny labels on some of the bottles, he felt kind of immature again.

Down the hall, he heard the bathroom door open. "Quite a collection," he commented, eyes still on the bottles.

"They came with the room," said Brynn as she rejoined him. "I never drank back home, but I have more freedom with my new job. I'm not on call twenty-four hours a day and I have weekends off. It's nice. Kind of makes me want to move to New York permanently."

Smiling, Donatello turned to look at her—and felt that fluttering sensation in his stomach again. The pretty scientist had left her glasses in the bathroom and taken her hair down. It looked even softer than he imagined, curling into subtle waves at the ends. There was a hint of pink in her cheeks as she drew closer, resting one hand on the polished oak of the bar.

"You look kind of nervous."

He let out a weak laugh. "Just thinking about stories like this," he joked, trying to lighten the mood—or at least lighten his mood. "Young and inexperienced alone with older woman. If this was a movie, this would be the part where you try to seduce me."

He almost choked as soon as the words were out of his mouth; that was not what he meant to say. His hands went cold while the blood drained out of his face until he was sure he was white as a sheet. He stood frozen, a frightened animal faced with inevitable doom, and waited for the oncoming outburst. Brynn had every right to get angry, slap him, and kick him out.

Instead, her quiet expression didn't waver, her eyes unreadable as she slowly moved away from the bar and drifted behind him. Warm fingers touched his arm, gliding up to rest on his shoulder. He instantly tensed...while at the same time his skin prickled strangely.

Her voice was low and velvet near his ear as she said, "Do you really think that I long to make love to you?"

The paralyzed turtle could only swallow; his throat had gone dry, his tongue like a ball of cotton. He tensed even more as slender hands slipped under his arms. Soft curves pressed against him as he was hugged from behind him. Hot breath followed by warm lips brushed the back of his neck. "You would be right."

Her voice alone was doing things to him that made part of him want very much to see where this was going...but another part of him, the part of him that held onto memories of being deceived and hurt, wanted to run straight out of here. That particular part of him wanted to know the answer to a question he just couldn't fathom.

"Why?"

The lips touching his neck went still. He couldn't see her, but he could easily picture the look of surprise on her face as she went quiet for a moment. "Why?" she echoed, the sultry velvet gone from her voice.

His shoulders were gripped and he was turned around. The smile Brynn wore now was soft, as was the hand she touched his face with. In her eyes was something he never thought he would see—not when a woman was looking at _him_. Desire.

"Because I want to," she said, voice lowering again...though she didn't quite recapture the tone she used a moment ago. "Because I'm attracted to you. I have been ever since I met you. I kept it to myself because I didn't know you might see me the same way. Not until the remarks about Rebecca and her curves."

Donatello couldn't deny what she just said. Or that he'd felt an attraction to her from the start, too. But he also couldn't deny that, while part of him wanted to believe what she was telling him, that other part of him was far too full of doubt. Doubt and confusion.

"Why me?" he asked seriously. "You're smart and pretty. I'm sure you can have your pick of any human male you want. Why in the world would you pick me instead?"

Something in Brynn's gray eyes hardened. She pulled her hands away from his shoulders. "What are you accusing me of?" she asked, a dangerous edge in her voice. "Do you think this is some kind of experiment for me? That I'm only interested because I'm curious about what you'll do? You think I'll document everything later for study?"

"Something like tha—"

He let out a yelp of pain as she gave him the slap he'd been expecting earlier—hard. Face aflame, Brynn said harshly, "You don't have to be so cruel. You could have just said you weren't interested. You could have said I was wrong and you don't find me attractive. You didn't have to insult me by suggesting I'm heartless, that I don't feel for you the way I..."

She trailed off with a choking sound. Pressing her hand to her mouth, she sank into the easy chair across the room. As she struggled to hold back her sobs, Donatello felt his heart twist. He didn't mean to go that far. He never wanted to make her cry.

He took an uncertain step forward. "Brynn," he faltered, "I didn't mean..."

She didn't look up as he came closer, hand pressed over her eyes now. It didn't hide the tears on her cheeks. He tentatively reached out; she jerked her arm away just before he touched it. "Get out," she whispered hoarsely.

His heart twisted again—like it was being split in two. He wanted to stay and apologize, and assure her that he _did_ find her attractive but he was young and had never been in a situation like this before, and it had scared him and he ended up saying too much...but that cynical part of him, the part that made him say all he'd said in the first place, thought she should have known better.

It didn't matter which part of himself he listened to. She didn't want to hear an apology from him tonight, and he left the hotel room as quietly as he could, the sound of her sobs echoing in his ears long after he was gone.


	28. Moving Forward

"Bye, sweetie, we'll be back soon!"

From his hiding place behind the rosebushes growing at the side of Monalisa's house, Raphael listened until the sound of her parents' car faded into the distance before he crawled out and scurried up the stairs to the balcony. A few short seconds later, he was creeping through the quiet house. He had already spent most of the day here, but he had pretended to leave when he heard the Mr. and Mrs. of the house say they were going out, in case they didn't feel comfortable with him hanging around so late. So late and all alone with their daughter.

While he was killing time outside in the cold, Monalisa had taken a shower. He found her sitting in her bedroom at her vanity, combing her damp hair and dressed in a fuzzy pink bathrobe that matched all the pink in her room. Raphael waited until she spotted the reflection of him in the doorway before coming to stand behind her, where he rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed her hair. The silky tresses smelled like strawberries; he breathed deep and kissed her again.

She flashed a smile he glimpsed in the mirror, but at the same time she edged away and ducked her head. "Henry's still up," she told him in a whisper.

Right after she spoke, the rambunctious little guy went running past her open bedroom door, arms loaded with tub toys. A second later the bathroom door slammed.

With a smirk, Raphael went and casually closed her door. "Looks like he's going to be involved for a while."

Monalisa finished with her hair before setting her comb down and going over to sit on the foot of her bed. "He'll be in there at least an hour," she agreed. "What do you want to do in the meantime?"

The innocence of her question made him chuckle as he took a seat next to her. The fabric of her bathrobe rubbed against his thigh as he leaned to whisper, "I think you know."

The former human edged away again. "Don't."

Arms folded around herself like she suddenly felt cold, she got up and went to face the window. With a stifled sigh, Raphael stayed where he was. The more he let his desires show through, the harder she pulled away. It was frustrating, but what bothered him the most was how he didn't know _why_ she kept pulling away. What was he doing wrong?

"Are you mad at me?" he ventured, after a long silence.

The mutant he loved gave him a funny look before facing the window again, her gaze fixed on the quiet, snowy night. "No. Of course not."

"Are you mad about something else? Something you don't want to tell me?"

Sighing, Monalisa shook her head. "I'm not mad at anybody or about anything."

Absently fiddling with the edge of the down comforter he was sitting on, the young reptile tried to think of what else might be bothering her. "Did somebody try something with you once?" he finally asked. "A boyfriend you had once who didn't want no for an answer and took things too far?"

Her head jerked in his direction, dark eyes full of surprise. "No," she said sharply. "Why would you even ask me something like that?"

Shoulders sagging, Raphael looked down at his toes as he tugged at a loose thread poking out of the corner of the comforter. "Just trying to understand why you keep pushing me away like this," he mumbled. "If you aren't mad, and I didn't do anything wrong...then I can't figure out why you don't want to be with me. Other than you just don't want to be with me."

Her expression softened as she turned away from the window. Rubbing her arm as she spoke, she said, "Of course I do. Just not yet."

"Why not?" he asked—as politely as he could.

She shrugged. "Does it matter why not?"

Frowning now, the red-clad ninja got to his feet and moved closer. She didn't turn away, though her dark eyes avoided meeting his. "It matters to me," he said. "If there's a reason why not, a reason you don't want to tell me..."

He let out a heavy sigh, head lowering. "It makes me feel like you don't trust me."

Silence fell. And then Monalisa put her hand on his cheek, lifting his face until their eyes met. He could tell by the look in hers as she gave him a tired smile that something inside her had melted. "Of course I trust you," she said, stroking his face. "I trust you with everything. It's just that..."

Biting her lip, she took her hand away and looked over at the window again. "I fee like I'm just starting to adjust to the way my life is now," she told him quietly. "Everything was torn apart when I became what I am. But now the pieces are finally coming back together. I have my family back, and I have you, and..."

She shrugged again, her smile apologetic as her eyes returned to him. "I'm just not ready to do something I know will change things."

It was Raphael's turn to have something inside him melt as he stepped forward and put his arms around her. "Nothing's going to change," he murmured, as he stroked her soft hair. "Not between us. Except that once I know every last part of you, I'm going to love you even more than I already do."

The slender mutant flushed, but she smiled as her eyes lowered, lashes brushing her darkened cheeks. "I know you will," she said. "I will, too. But I also know that when this happens things _will_ change. We'll be different from how we are right this moment and there won't be any going back. I'm not afraid for that to happen," she quickly went on, "I want it to...just not tonight."

Her eyes lifted, searching his own imploringly; Raphael held her tighter, coaxing her to rest her head on his shoulder. "I understand. I understand all about how much you love your family and don't want to leave them. I love them too, and I can wait until you're ready to leave for as long as I have to."

Monalisa lifted her head so she could frown at him. "Why would I leave them?" she asked, clearly confused.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said in response, equally confused. "You're going to have to leave when we get married."

The jade-green mutant made a sputtering sound. " _Married?"_ she squeaked. "You've never said one word to me about getting married!"

He couldn't help frowning at how surprised she was. Cupping her face in his hands and combing his fingers into her hair, he said, "I didn't think I needed to. We both know there's no one else for me. Never has been, never will be. As soon as you came back into my life, I stopped picturing my future without you in it. I figured you were doing the same thing."

Maybe he was wrong. The thought made his heart sink, and he slowly moved his hands away—and then tears sprang to Monalisa's dark eyes, right before she threw her arms around his neck. "Of course I want to marry you," she cried, laughing and sniffling at the same time. "I just wish we were having this conversation in a more romantic place, and I was wearing something prettier."

Grinning, Raphael dried her eyes and kissed her cheek before holding her tight again. "I don't care if you're wearing a bathrobe, covered in mud, or stark naked. You're always beautiful to me. And I want you to be mine forever."

"I want _you_ to be mine forever," she echoed in a whisper.

After holding each other in silence for a long moment, something more meaningful than words passing between them, Monalisa lifted her head again. "You haven't sounded like yourself at all tonight," she noted. "You're acting mature and serious."

"Only happens when I'm with you, so no worries."

Snickering, she hugged him hard. "Just don't make a habit of it. I like it when you're sarcastic."

"Good, because all this sweet talk is starting to make my teeth hurt."

Monalisa gasped and swatted his arm, pretending to be shocked. While he snickered, she moved out of his arms and over to the vanity, her expression thoughtful as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. As he watched, she untied her robe and opened it a little as she looked herself over. Like she was trying to see herself the way he did. Eyes doubtful, she asked, "Do you really think I'm that beautiful?"

The red-clad turtle's skin was starting to warm as he caught tantalizing glimpses of jade-green between the folds of pink. He cleared his throat. "I just got my mind off that track and after our talk we're closer than ever...shouldn't we call it a night? I'm going to have a hard time shutting my motor down if you get it running again."

Flushing and laughing, she closed her robe again. "Sorry. I guess I'm still pretty insecure about how I look now. I'm used to looking..."

"Human?" Raphael supplied.

"Yeah," she mumbled, turning away from the mirror and leaning her hip against the edge of the vanity. "I can't help missing my old self sometimes. And don't try to make me feel better by saying you wouldn't have liked me as much. I know from your brothers' taste in girls that you guys like human girls just fine."

"We do," Raphael admitted, drawing close to her and resting a hand on her waist. "But I like you as you are better. And I think you're prettier."

Her blunt nose wrinkled in doubt.

"I do," he repeated seriously. "But it doesn't matter either way. I love you for who you are inside, remember?"

He brushed a hand to her cheek; she smiled shyly. "Quit it before you make me cry again."

"Fine," he said, with a pretend sigh of resignation as he kissed her goodbye. "I better get going before your parents come home and get the wrong idea about why I came back."

"Uh, that was why you came back."

The young ninja acted like he didn't hear that as he went over to open the window. As he was climbing over the sill, careful not to let too much snow fall onto the carpet, he paused and looked back. "Speaking of your parents...are you going to let them know we're engaged now?"

Monalisa fiddled with the belt of her bathrobe as she thought it over. "How about you bring me something I can show them that finalizes the deal?" she suggested.

Raphael grinned. "Gotcha."

* * *

The hour was growing late and the sewer den he and his family called home was dark and quiet, the only one of his sons who was home already asleep and snoring. It was during this time that Splinter often sat down to read by candlelight, or relax by looking through one of his many art books before he retired. Tonight he had something new—and different—to look at.

During the many times she had visited these last few weeks, young Dr. Morris had only spoken to him a handful of times. She was changeful and abrupt, and she could be brisk and curt with his sons (especially when they were being stubborn, which was often) but she was nothing but gentle and infinitely patient when she was working with Rebecca. And whenever she addressed him, he could tell that she was mindful of his seniority, speaking in a tone that was subdued and respectful.

A few days ago she noted how much young Rebecca enjoyed looking at pictures, be them the cartoonish drawings in her picture books or the photographs in magazines. They helped broaden her scope and paint a picture of the world inside her growing mind, and he gathered that she also greatly enjoyed them simply for their entertainment value, more than she enjoyed any other medium. As a result, Dr. Morris had brought her several albums full of different styles of photographs.

And, to his surprise, she had given him an album as well, having noticed his collection of art books and his own appreciation for imagery. She said it was to thank him for allowing Rebecca to stay, and for being so patient with her. He was happy to help.

When it came to art, Splinter preferred paints of any kind or style over other forms, but the photographs in the album Dr. Morris gave him had a soft look he found calming to view. They had been taken with a modern camera, but the images were altered to give them a vintage appearance. The colors were often muted, some sepia toned with vignetting and others nearly black-and-white, with subtle inclusions of pastel colors.

As he was turning a page, footsteps pattered outside his room just before Rebecca came scampering in. Spotting the book in his lap, she dropped to her knees beside him and peered curiously over his arm. "What's this?" she asked, pointing at an image on the right-hand page.

The scene captured was a relaxing shot of the seashore, the colors golden and tinted with red, like a sunset. The sand looked bright and clean and he could just imagine the rush of the waves as they rolled against the shore. Walking near the water's edge was a young girl, her back to the camera and skirt and hair blowing in the wind.

The part that had captured young Rebecca's interest was the object clutched in the girl's small hand.

"A balloon," he told her with a smile.

"Bal-loon," the feline repeated, sounding like she enjoyed how the word sounded. "What's it do?"

"Well, they are full of a special air that makes them float. See?"

"Why?" Rebecca wanted to know.

Splinter had to stop and think—something that had become a common occurrence of late. In her need to understand the world around her, the child-like mutant was constantly asking 'why' about things. Things adults like himself had grown to accept without question or thought. He found it a humbling experience to realize there were many 'whys' he did not know the answer to, or had ever bothered to wonder about.

"For entertainment," he finally answered. "Many people—especially young ones like yourself—consider balloons fun."

"Bal-loons are fun?" the white kitten asked eagerly. "Can Becky have one?"

"I suppose. I am sure Michelangelo has a few somewhere—but you had best wait until morning to ask him," he hastily added, as she started to bolt up.

Reluctantly she sat down again, eyes returning to the album in his lap. "You ought to be in bed at this hour," said Splinter gently.

Rebecca gave her head a firm shake before propping her chin on her knees. "Not sleepy."

The brightness of her blue eyes was proof of this. They moved from the picture of the girl and her balloon to the full-page photograph on the opposite page: a photograph of a beautiful carousel horse. The colors were very pale, almost black-and-white with a blueish tint, yet he could easily imagine the bright colors of the flowers carved into the horse's flowing mane, the polished brass of its spiral pole. The ribbons that coiled along its romance side were blue, one of the only distinct colors visible.

On the wooden prancer horse's back was a small girl of around five, her cherubic face framed with pale curls and her cheeks softly colored pink. The skirt of her lacy dress showed hints of movement as she tightly gripped the brass pole in both hands, her laughing smile clearly conveying her enjoyment as she rode her imaginary steed.

Rebecca's eyes were as curious as they were intent, but for once she didn't ask questions.

With an apologetic smile, Splinter shut the album. "Sleepy or not, you should be in bed."

"Becky just napped," the kitten protested, folding her arms and pouting.

Dr. Morris was trying to urge the young mutant into a regular sleep schedule, but convincing Rebecca to stay up all day and only sleep at night was proving difficult. Even if she wasn't feline, Splinter understood that she was young and needed her rest, which meant frequent naps throughout the day. He didn't mind her keeping unusual hours; his concern was her habit of roaming the lair alone while the rest of them slept.

"If you must stay up, at least remain in your bed with a book or a game," he coaxed. "I would hate for you to injure yourself while no one is watching."

Rebecca cocked her head and appeared to consider his words for a moment. "Okay," she finally agreed, using the expression she had learned from her 'big brothers.' Smiling, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Night, Papa."

"'Papa'?" he echoed in surprise.

The white kitten giggled as she hopped to her feet. "Turtles for big brothers and Splinter for Papa and Mama for Mama. My family."

She sounded proud about it—proud that she had a place and people to call her own, and that she had figured it out for herself. Splinter felt his heart warm as he watched her scamper away. It was rather unexpected how close they had become, considering the startling way they first met. But after his initial nervousness had faded he quickly saw how innocent and harmless she was. How sweet. It did his heart good to have someone as youthful as her around now that...

Approaching footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up as someone came tiptoeing into his room. He had grown used to the odd schedules his sons now kept, how they came and went at all hours...though he didn't much like it. But he couldn't object; they were grown and independent now. It made his heart grow heavy each time he wondered how much longer it would be before they each followed Leonardo's example and left home, until none remained.

A mixture of light and shadow in the flickering candlelight, Raphael came and knelt before him. "We're not announcing it just yet," he said in a whisper, mindful of his brother's snores, "but Monalisa and I are engaged."

Splinter smiled his congratulations, even as his heart turned heavy again. "That is wonderful news, my son. Will the wedding soon follow?"

Raphael drummed his fingers on his knee as he thought it over. "Not sure yet. I'm supposed to get her a ring before we tell her parents—and she's not really ready to be away from them yet. We'll probably have the wedding as soon as she's ready to leave home."

"It is very thoughtful of you to be willing to wait."

His former student merely shrugged and smiled as he got to his feet. "She's more than worth it. Good night."

After he had gone, Splinter blew out each of the candles before lying back to sleep. It was only a few minutes later when he heard someone else moving outside his room; Donatello, finally coming home after leaving with Dr. Morris this morning. Judging by the way his steps seemed to drag, his spirits were much lower than his brother's.

Whatever was troubling him, he went directly to bed without coming to speak to his old sensei about it, even though Splinter sat up and waited for several minutes. With a quiet sigh, he lay back down again. It was rare for any of his sons to come to him for advice these days. They either turned to each other for counsel or handled their difficulties on their own.

It was a normal, natural part of growing up, but he could not help but feel saddened. He was not looking forward to the day all four of them were gone and was very grateful that young Rebecca was now a part of his life.

* * *

Donatello didn't get any sleep that night and got up the next morning feeling overtired and cranky. Skipping breakfast, he retreated to the privacy of his lab, where he deliberately made more noise than necessary as he randomly tinkered for the next few hours. He didn't really accomplish anything; he just wanted to distract himself. When he didn't accomplish that either, he gave up and went to the kitchen—where he was surprised to see that Raphael was actually home for a change.

He was even more surprised to see Brynn sitting at the kitchen table with his brother, talking as if nothing unusual was going on—as if last night didn't end in tears for her.

"I didn't think I'd see you today," said Donatello, his surprise making him sound surlier than he'd meant to.

Brynn's casual expression faded as she looked at him. Her gray eyes were like ice. "I'm only here for the reason I always come. To care for Rebecca."

Raphael had no idea what was going on, but judging by the uncomfortable look that crossed his face, he was picking up the negativity now permeating the room. He quickly pushed his chair back and stood. "I'm going to, uh..." He waved his hand vaguely. "Who cares?" he finished lamely, before practically running out of the kitchen.

The purple-clad turtle stayed where he was, watching the female scientist silently. He knew he should say something—anything—but he had no idea where to start. Just saying 'I'm sorry' didn't feel like enough. But he knew that standing there without saying a word was probably the worst thing he could do. So of course that was what he ended up doing.

Brynn got up and smoothed her skirt. "I have to work this morning and I've already seen Rebecca, so if there's nothing else that needs my attention..."

It was obvious by the way she paused, her frosty eyes almost expectant as she waited, that she was giving him the chance to speak up. The only thing he managed was a mute shrug.

Head held high, Brynn brushed past him and left. With a tired sigh, Donatello left the kitchen and went to Splinter's room. Kneeling on the tatami floor, he mumbled, "I have a problem."

He would almost swear Splinter looked eager as he put his book down and focused all his attention on him. "What sort of problem?" he questioned.

"Well..."

Donatello hemmed and hawed for a second or two before he finally admitted, face warming, "It's girl trouble."

Splinter went quiet for a minute, whiskers twitching. "I see," he finally said. "I am afraid this is not an area I know much about, but if you tell me what happened, I will do my best to help."

As he remembered the direction things had been going last night, the reptilian scientist's face warmed until he was sure he was blushing to the top of his head. There was no way he was going to go into detail, so after fidgeting and considering his words carefully for several long moments, he said, "It's Brynn. I'm really starting to care about her—and I think she cares about me, too."

"That is good," said Splinter softly, with a smile that almost seemed sad. "What is the trouble?"

Donatello sighed heavily and fidgeted again. "Well, we spent a lot of time together yesterday. We had dinner together, and then we talked, and then...I can't really explain what happened. I've never had someone act like they're interested in me before and I ended up responding in the worst way possible. I got really defensive and said some things I shouldn't have. Rude things—really rude. I made her cry."

His own eyes stung a little as he pictured Brynn hiding her face behind her hand as she sobbed. "I wanted to say I was sorry right away but she didn't want to hear it at the time. She was ready to hear it today, I think, but...I didn't know how to start. So I didn't say anything at all and she left."

Heaving another sigh, he shrugged his shoulders, completely at a loss over what to do now. Splinter was quiet for several minutes, eyes closed, and Donatello could tell by the way his forehead had drawn together a little that he was in deep thought. "I cannot say that your reaction surprises me," he murmured. "You have each been treated unfairly many times and you each find your own way to cope. The guard you have in place is harder than that of your brothers. While it is not my place to advise you on how to proceed regarding your feelings for the young lady, I will say that it is best for you to apologize to her yourself."

His dark, kind eyes opened as he smiled softly. "However, if finding a place to begin is the trouble, I would be happy to speak to her on your behalf first."

Relief filled the young turtle's heart. If Splinter explained to Brynn why he acted the way he did, this would turn out so much better. "Will you? That would be great."


	29. Longings Of The Heart

A week after Elizabeth found out she was carrying twins she was parked in front of her mirror again, smoothing back her curls with a pleased look on her face. Her morning sickness was finally starting to ease up. When Dr. Morris came to check on her yesterday she told her it was normal for the unpleasant symptoms to last longer when a woman was carrying twins, but they (thankfully) looked like they were tapering off. As a result, there was a nice hint of color in her cheeks this morning, and her eyes were bright instead of heavy-lidded and tired.

Twins. A week later she could still barely believe it. All this time she thought there was only one life growing inside her there had actually been two. She couldn't be more thrilled—but at the same time she felt more nervous than ever. Her responsibilities had literally doubled. No more pining over her own loneliness, no more sighing over if she would ever find someplace—or someone—to belong to. All her old worries and fears were gone and forgotten; only one concern existed in her mind now. And that was being a good mom.

An eruption of angry barks from Hyena pulled her out of her thoughts. She was home alone right now, so she quickly got up to answer the knock on the front door. She smiled as she opened it, expecting to see Dr. Morris coming to check on her again, or someone looking for a pet to adopt.

Instead she found Raphael standing on their snow-covered doorstep.

"Usagi isn't here right now," she said after he shook snow off his boots and took off his coat. "We have a bunch of new additions and he's out helping Obento take them to the vet for shots."

"That's okay," the red-clad ninja said, eying Hyena as he stood at her side and growled. Elizabeth rested a silencing hand on his head. "I'm here to talk to you, actually."

"Me?" said Elizabeth in surprise. "How come?"

Raphael shifted from foot to foot, looking uncharacteristically bashful. "It's, um, kind of a secret. You can't tell anybody."

After promising she wouldn't breathe a word, not even to Usagi, she took him to the kitchen so they could sit and talk. They didn't keep any soda in the shelter and she knew turtles didn't like tea, so she started heating water to make hot cocoa. The reptile stayed unusually quiet, waiting until the cocoa was done and they were both sipping from steaming mugs before finally blurting, "Monalisa and I are getting married."

"That's wonderful," said Elizabeth, smiling. She hadn't met Monalisa herself yet, but after her exam last week Donatello had stayed a while longer to talk a little about the human-turned-mammalian reptile his brother was happily dating. Since she was never setting foot in the sewers again (or maybe in a decade or two she would be able to stomach it) she was glad to stay up to date with what the turtles were up to. She was glad they were still part of her life.

"Are you going to have a spring wedding?" she asked, after taking a sip of cocoa.

"Well, that's the thing," said Raphael, looking a little perplexed. "She wants to stay close to her family for now—which is fine, I'm okay with taking things slow. But we're going to tell them about the engagement—after I get Monalisa a ring, that is."

"Ah," said Elizabeth, understanding now. "Let me guess...you have no idea where to start ring shopping."

"I know where to shop," the young ninja said defensively. "I just need some ideas before I go buy one."

She concluded from the expectant grin he gave her that he was hoping any girl was good for getting advice about engagement rings—a lot better than trying to pick one out on his own. She also concluded that he was uncomfortable with doing the obvious thing: ask Monalisa directly. Probably worried she'd get annoyed at him for not paying attention to obvious clues he'd no doubt already been exposed to, Elizabeth thought wryly.

"Well, you could probably get a good idea what she likes from the kind of jewelry she ordinarily wears," the petite redhead began, hoping to draw out a little inspiration. Sure, she could easily describe a fancy ring at random and tell him to go buy one like it...but it wouldn't be special that way. The future husband needed to choose it himself, and it needed to reflect his bride.

"I don't think she ever wears any," said Raphael, shrugging.

Oh. That complicated things a little.

"Okay, then...what are her tastes? Favorite colors?"

"Pink," the turtle said promptly. "But I've been trying to convert her to red," he added with a grin.

"Pink could be nice," said Elizabeth, with approval. "Lots of gemstones come in pink."

Judging by the nod Raphael gave, he had already decided to exclude any other choices and only look for rings with pink stones. Whatever made it easiest.

"Let's focus on the band for a minute. Which metal does she like best? Gold or silver?"

The blank stare she got as an answer told her that the sheepish reptile had no clue. "Aren't wedding and engagement rings always gold?"

"Not necessarily," the happy wife said wryly. She lifted her left hand and wiggled her ring finger; her silver claddagh glinted in the light.

"How'd he know what to get you?" Raphael wanted to know. "He's not even from around here—and I mean that in a big way."

"The fact that I got him one as a gift a while before he proposed probably helped," Elizabeth admitted with a smile.

She was given another blank stare. "You got him a wedding ring as a gift?"

"Well, not exactly," she said, and explained the different ways a claddagh ring was traditionally worn. On the right hand with the heart facing outward to signify the wearer was single and open to love, or with the heart turned inward to signal that he or she was taken, their heart captured (or uninterested in a relationship). When the wearer was engaged the ring moved to the left hand, heart outward, and on the wedding day their spouse would turn the ring the other way, signalling that the union was complete.

"One ring, four uses," Raphael mused. "Nice and simple."

A second later his eyes bulged. "I just realized—I need to pick out wedding rings, too."

"There's nothing wrong with picking those out together," Elizabeth said quickly, as the distraught turtle put his head in his hands and groaned. "And you don't _have_ to get an engagement ring. Some people skip it and just wear the wedding ring."

"But I all but promised her I'd get one."

The earnest look in his eyes made her smile. He clearly didn't want to disappoint the one he loved. "Just the same, let's forget about the engagement ring for a second. Since you'll be wearing one too, maybe it'll help if you think about what kind of wedding bands you want. That might help you picture an engagement ring that would look nice with them."

"I want one like Leonardo's," Raphael said promptly. "Having it on his wrist keeps it out of the way, and when he spars he hides it under his wrist pad."

Elizabeth pictured the gold band the happily married turtle now wore around his wrist. It was fairly plain, but something that large made of pure gold had to be expensive. Since Raphael wasn't marrying someone with a bank account as big as Lotus', she doubted something like that was in his budget range. Still, there were other options that were less expensive but still beautiful and long-lasting, and she started comparing them in her mind as she got up to rinse her empty mug. "I know a few nice shops we could start with," she said, thinking about the place she bought Usagi's claddagh from.

"We?" Raphael echoed. "Are you going too?"

Elizabeth smirked at him. "I think it would be a good idea."

The turtle paused, drumming his fingers on the table top. "Can I stay here, then?" he asked sweetly.

"Well, since it's you and your fiancée's rings...no."

"Ah, come on. I hate shopping."

"That's too bad. Married reptiles go shopping a lot, or so I've heard."

The red-clad turtle made a choking sound. "Monalisa wouldn't do that to me...would she?"

Elizabeth merely chuckled and patted his shoulder before heading out of the kitchen. "Come on, tough guy, get your coat."

"Fine," Raphael groused as he got and followed. "But I better get some pizza out of this."

"If you're good," said the mother-to-be, hiding her smile.

* * *

Splinter was in the middle of meditating when he heard Rebecca ask, "Papa, what are these?"

The rodent cracked one eye open—and jerked his head up as both eyes snapped open, relaxed state of mind broken. Rebecca was lying on her belly across the room, flipping through the Japanese art books he had been looking at earlier. "They are very old," he scolded, without thinking. "Please, do not touch them."

Rebecca immediately let go of the fragile page in her hand, though her eyes never left it. Chin in her hands and tail swishing, she studied the hand-painted images with a dreamy look on her young face. "So pretty," she sighed.

Her obvious interest in something so dear to him wasn't the only reason he felt a pang of guilt. Heart warming, he got up and went to sit beside her, where he slowly turned the pages for her. Rebecca's eyes shone with each new image.

"These are paintings," he explained, as he turned to a picture of a sunny meadow full of flowers. "They were created with paints and brushes instead of a camera."

Until now, she had only seen photographs and modern forms of art, like the ones in her picture books; hand-drawn sketches and paintings were new to her. From the glow of admiration in her face, it was obvious which medium Rebecca preferred.

"Can Becky paint?" she asked eagerly.

Splinter gave a chuckle. "My child, you can do anything you desire, if you set your mind to it."

"Becky's mind is set on painting," was her frank response, eyes still glued to the meadow picture.

Her youthful enthusiasm made him chuckle again. He turned another few pages, until a familiar clack of high heels in another room made them both look up. For once Rebecca was too distracted to go greet her 'mama,' but Splinter closed the book and set it aside. "I am sure Michelangelo has an old watercolor set somewhere," he told her with a smile. "If not, I am sure he would buy you one."

Rebecca happily scampered off to find her favorite 'big brother' and ask. Splinter sat quietly for a minute, considering whether or not he should venture out of his room in search of the owner of the clacking heels. He had been watching for an opportunity to speak to the young doctor alone, but so far none had presented itself. But today was different: just a few moments after Rebecca left, Dr. Morris appeared in his doorway.

After eyeing the tatami mats on the floor, she slipped off the calf-length boots she was wearing and stepped into the room in her pantyhose. Her footsteps were soft, her movements no less graceful when she was barefoot, as she came to sit near him. She had a warm smile on her face, her gray eyes relaxed. "I think she likes having you as a teacher," she commented.

The notion made Splinter smile in return. "She has been a good student."

Dr. Morris smiled a moment more before shifting her eyes to the nearby plate holding the sushi he didn't finish during breakfast. "Do you mind?"

Splinter gave his head a shake; she eagerly took up his lacquered chopsticks and slipped the remaining raw morsel into her mouth. She chewed with obvious pleasure, eyes drifting shut as she swallowed and said with a content sigh, "I could eat Japanese food every day and never get tired of it."

"A pity such eating habits do not rub off on my sons," the aging rodent noted, with a touch of wryness.

Dr. Morris flashed another smile before setting the chopsticks down and resting back on her palm, modestly smoothing her skirt down with her other hand. Splinter felt himself grow sober. It seemed a shame to risk spoiling the young lady's pleasant mood, but he couldn't allow Donatello's wish to go unheeded. "Miss Morris," he began, "there is a matter I must speak to you about."

Her pale eyebrows lifted above her wire frames, the seriousness in his tone not escaping her notice. "I'm listening."

"Donatello told me of the other night, and—"

"He _told_?" the young doctor said sharply.

This abrupt—and severe—change in mood made him pause. Her whole body had tensed and her gray eyes were furious...which told him, as he had quietly suspected from the start, that there was more to this story than his son had let on. He kept his expression neutral, his tone calm and even as he said, "He merely mentioned that you expressed interest in him, and that he, in his inexperience and uncertainty, ended up saying something he now regrets."

Her eyes softened a little, though the tension in her frame remained. "And that's _all_ he told you?"

Splinter nodded.

"Why are you talking to me about this instead of him?" she questioned.

He had expected her to ask that. "He wants to, but he is unsure of where to begin," he explained, while the young scientist pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, as if she suddenly felt tired. "He knows his words hurt you and wishes to apologize, but he is a little afraid to face you. You must understand, until only recently none of my sons were ever in serious relationships. And of the four of them, Donatello is the only one who never had any interest in women before you came along. You are the first to catch his attention."

Dr. Morris started to slip her glasses back on, but then changed her mind and absently placed them in the pocket of her blouse. Her eyes were focused on him, something oddly intent—almost intense—about her gaze. With a strange smile that didn't reach her other features, her voice lowered as she said, "That was what I was trying to be that night, you know. His first."

It took several seconds for the meaning of her words to sink in...and when it did, it brought an unpleasant heat to his furred cheeks. "I...see," he faltered.

Her eyes bore into him. "You don't approve."

Splinter hardly knew what to say—and not just because he himself had no experience in this matter. The look the young scientist was giving him was confusing, in conflict with itself. Her eyes were hard and loaded with challenge—as if she was daring him to say something about what she had tried to do. Her posture was more rigid than ever, the very way she held herself suggesting defiance.

Yet at the same time, something was telling him it was all just a mask. Underneath the cold look in her eyes he would swear there was a trace of fear—fear of exactly what she was silently daring him to do. Like a frightened child faced with a scolding after being caught doing something naughty. It puzzled him, because while she was still young, she was older than his sons. Close to thirty, he would guess. Yet he had the strangest feeling it would upset her if he spoke badly of her actions.

"Each of them are grown," he ventured. "It is not for me to say whether or not they should engage in more...adult activities. Leonardo—"

"Is married," Dr. Morris interrupted.

The aging rodent paused again. She was right; having exchanged the vows that bound them together till death, it was perfectly acceptable for the young turtle and his wife to be as intimate as they pleased. More unsure of what to say than ever, Splinter sat quietly for a long moment, before finally, very quietly, "What happened when he rejected you?"

She immediately looked away, shoulders sagging. For several moments she stared silently down at a spot near her hand, still resting on the floor—and then she let out a scoff. "He all but accused me of conducting an experiment. Like I was in it for scientific research, not because I cared about him."

From the way her voice nearly cracked, and how her gray eyes started misting over...it was clear to him there wasn't a speck of truth in his son's suspicions.

Still, his reaction was not beyond Splinter's understanding. "As I said, having someone he is interested in—and is interested in him—is a new experience for him. And like all of us, he has been hurt countless times over what he is. He has grown distrusting of humans and wary of their intentions—much more so than any of his brothers."

"I figured that part out on my own," the young scientist muttered, her tone bitter. "That doesn't make me feel any better that he actually believed I was going to sleep with him strictly out of curiosity."

Splinter's cheeks heated again. Still looking away, Dr. Morris discreetly wiped her eyes. "Doesn't matter either way anymore," she murmured. "I wanted more than just one night—a lot more. But he obviously doesn't trust me. And I know how wise you are, so I don't have to tell you that a relationship can't survive without trust."

"You are correct," Splinter said quietly, "but trust must be earned."

This drew another scoff from her. "If I haven't earned it by now, I never will. We've seen each other almost every day since we first met. Before we came to New York together, we spent hours in my old lab, looking over projects and research or just talking. Talking a lot more than I'll usually talk. I got to know him better than I knew some of the scientists I spent years working with."

She shook her head ruefully. "And he still thought I'd betray our friendship. It never once entered his mind that all I was looking for was something more than friendship. That my feelings were genuine."

The blow delivered to her pride was plain, shown clearly in the grimness of her voice, the dourness of her downcast expression. As a scowl lined her forehead, her eyes hardening again, Splinter felt his own spirits drop. It didn't much matter what else he said, or if Donatello delivered his apology. What had been broken couldn't be mended.

"I know it may not feel like it, but he never intended to hurt you deliberately," was all he could think to add.

Dr. Morris breathed a sigh, her eyes tired as she finally looked at him again. "It's all right. I'm the one to blame. I should have known better—but my colleagues have been telling me for years that I get too focused on one thing. When I have my sights truly set on something I go blind and deaf to everything else. I lost sight of the fact that he's so young. I even lost sight of the fact that he's not human. I only saw what I wanted to see. And that was someone with a brilliant mind. Someone who felt like my equal. Someone I could let myself fall in love with."

This admission made Splinter glance away sadly. If only Donatello had known how she saw him. It was too late to change anything now, to take back what had been said. He could tell by the way Dr. Morris gave herself a shake and sat up straighter, head lifted proudly again, that she had already let the whole affair go and was pushing it behind her. She was ready to forget about it and move on.

She didn't strike him as someone who wasted her time wondering what might have been. Or wasted her time over much of anything.

"Live and learn," she said, tone suddenly light. "My first stab at seduction has taught me that love doesn't fit in my life. It's fine. I'm used to being alone."

She spoke with finality, and a calm indifference...but he detected a flicker of loneliness behind her eyes. "Have you no one back home?" he asked quietly. "Family?"

The young scientist shook her head. "I've been on my own for a long, long time. It doesn't bother me. Having no one to contend with but myself makes my work easier. Men just get in the way. I should have known better than to break my own rule."

She went quiet, as did Splinter, having run out of things to say. There was chatter and laughter in another room, muffled from the distance; he listened with a faint smile on his face. By the way she slowly relaxed, the ghost of a smile touching her lips, Dr. Morris was listening, too.

Rebecca was exclaiming happily about something, while Michelangelo was trying to give her careful instructions—which judging by the exasperation in his tone were going unheeded. "Just don't use so much," he heard him sigh. "And try not to get any on the flo—watch it, you're getting your tail in it!"

Splinter chuckled in spite of himself. Dr. Morris' smile deepened. "I plan to stay in this town for now," she remarked, voice turning soft. "Even if I wasn't able to get a job here, I don't think I'm ready to part with her any more than she's ready to part with me."

The dark-furred rodent knew just how she felt. "She has brought much joy to our lives," he said, voice equally soft. "Especially mine."

The affection in the doctor's smile said she felt the same. Splinter quieted again as he studied her, wondering if he should try to coax her into at least listening to the apology Donatello wanted to give. He wouldn't try to convince her to accept it, but he at least wanted to accomplish what he promised to do. "Miss Morris," he started to say.

"Brynn," she corrected.

Ordinarily he would rather know a woman a little longer before calling her by her first name, but after the conversation the two just shared, it didn't feel strange. "Brynn...I believe that both of you would feel better if you spoke to each other, if only once more. I know it would ease his heart greatly if you allowed him to apologize. Even if the chance of something more has gone, it might still be possible for you to remain friends."

Brynn considered this for a minute, eyes distant as she absently fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I'd like that," she murmured. "I'll talk to him."

Splinter smiled in relief. That was all he could ask for. And all he could do. Whatever happened now was up to them.

Instead of getting up to find Donatello, the young scientist sat quietly for a little longer, expression thoughtful. She looked at him again, her gray eyes creasing with a smile as she suddenly reached over and adjusted the shoulder of his kimono. "You really are wise," she noted. "And kind. And awfully patient to go through the trouble it takes to get through to someone as stubborn as me. It's funny that a guy like you is still single."

The sudden comment almost made him scoff in surprise. "Funny? I think not. Obvious."

But there wasn't a trace of humor on her face as she gave her head a shake. "I don't think so. Not at all."


	30. Progression

Even though it was cold tonight, Leonardo felt like stepping outside for a minute after finishing dinner at the swankiest restaurant in town. He opened a set of French doors and moved out onto a marble balcony that faced a dazzling array of city lights. They twinkled like stars under the blue-black horizon, the sounds of traffic in the distance and the quiet chatter of diners and the clink of genuine silver against fine china behind him. Moving softer than a whisper in her satin slippers, he felt more than heard Lotus come to stand beside him.

"You have been awfully quiet this evening," she said, voice soft as she gazed out at the skyline with him. "Is everything all right?"

Leonardo nodded silently. What could he say? That he had been distracted all during dinner by the families dining around them? That even though he kept telling himself it was a waste of time and he had tried for weeks to forget about it, the longing to have a family of his own refused to go away?

He didn't want to say anything about it to anyone, least of all to Lotus...but she was his wife. He shouldn't be keeping things from her, especially not something that partly concerned her. Even if she didn't share his desire, the issue of family involved them both.

Releasing his breath in defeat, he admitted quietly, "Something's been on my mind lately. Something I'm not sure how you'll react to."

He turned to face her; she lifted her black eyebrows questioningly, the silver fabric of her exquisite gown shimmering as it caught the lights of the city. For a moment her beauty left him breathless. It still amazed him that he was able to call her his own—a woman who deserved the very best of everything. Including a husband who was capable of giving her anything her heart wished for.

"I know you're not worried about it now," he said, thinking back to that day on the patio, "but if you ever change your mind, one day...will it bother you that I can't give you children?"

Lotus looked at him oddly. "Of course not," was her firm response. "I have never planned to have children, and having you in my life does not change that."

She gave her head a shake, like she couldn't even picture it. "My goodness, Leonardo, what kind of mother would I make?"

"A great one," her husband said promptly. "If you had a daughter you'd raise her to be every bit as skilled and willful as you are. And of course I'd teach her everything I know, too. Our child would grow into someone nobody in their right mind would mess with. Someone strong and wise and..."

He trailed off, realizing he was rambling. Lotus' dark eyes were searching his, her expression sober. "I do not believe that the thought of not being able to give me children is what is really bothering you."

Leonardo's face heated. "It's not your fault, it's mine," he said hastily. "You're the normal one, and I'm—"

His wife silenced him with a gentle finger. "The most wonderful, amazing husband," she finished for him. "And I would not change you for anything. Or the life I now have with you."

The young turtle nodded, taking the hint. "I know," he mumbled. "That's why I didn't want to say anything. I know I shouldn't be feeling like this, but..."

He chuckled weakly. "Guess my, uh, biological clock decided to go off all of a sudden."

The smile Lotus gave him was full of affection. "I am not willing to change the life we have together yet," she amended. "But someday, when the time is right for us both...I do not see any reason why we cannot adopt."

Leonardo's heart lifted with hope. He hadn't thought of that—and he should have, he realized sheepishly. And just knowing that the option was there for them, and that Lotus agreed to it, changing 'never' to 'someday'...it was enough to put his troubled mind at ease. Grinning suddenly, he cocked the brim of the hat he was wearing and smoothed the front of his crisp white suit.

Offering his wife his arm, he said, "Come on, I want to show off some of the moves I've been practicing."

With a chuckle, Lotus took his arm and together they swept back inside and out onto the dance floor.

* * *

Donatello was busy working in his lab and was making so much noise he didn't notice that someone had walked in. Not until he happened to glance up and spied Brynn standing in the open doorway, watching him. He jerked up with a start—and banged his head on his new invention so hard the clanging sound echoed in his ears as stars danced in front of his eyes.

Brynn politely looked away and studied the interior of his lab while he staggered and shook his head to clear it. When his ears finally stopped ringing he looked at her from across the room, not sure if he should go closer or wait where he stood and let her speak first. They had deliberately avoided crossing paths ever since their chilly exchange in the kitchen the other morning—although his hopes had risen a little when he saw her go into Splinter's room yesterday. He assumed his former teacher had fulfilled his promise and paved the way for him, though Brynn didn't come to see him afterward.

But she was here now, and there wasn't any sign of tension in her gray eyes as they continued to roam his lab. Having her see his work made him feel shy, and not just because of the uncertain way things stood between them. Even if everything was fine, her being in here for the first time like this would still give him a strangely vulnerable feeling. He put all of himself into his work and was anxious to know what she, a fellow scientist, thought.

He wasn't about to ask, since that wasn't the reason she came in here. In a gesture that exposed her nerves, Brynn glanced down as she smoothed a hand over her perfectly neat skirt. "I want to apologize for my actions the other night," she said, not quite meeting his gaze as she looked up again. "Emboldened by sake or not, I was out of line. I'm sorry."

"Me too," Donatello quickly added. "I never should have said what I did. I'm really sorry I made you cry."

Her cheeks darkened a shade or two, but he could tell by the way she met his eyes with a faint smile that his apology had been accepted. "It was a lesson well learned, I suppose," she noted, voice taking on its usual businesslike tone. "The results of my very first attempt at seduction tell me that it should also be my last."

"First?" the reptilian scientist echoed in surprise. Thinking back on how easily she made his skin heat and his nonexistent hair stand on end, he never would have guessed. "You were so, well..."

"Good at it?" Brynn supplied with a smirk. "I should say not. Instead of pleasure the night ended in anger and tears. Hardly a successful attempt."

Donatello nodded mutely in agreement as his face heated—partly from embarrassment at remembering how their otherwise enjoyable evening together had come to an end, and partly because he couldn't help imagining what might have happened if things had gone differently.

And then it dawned on him—something he hadn't considered before, given how she had been the one to initiate things that night. Looking at how her cheeks were as pink with embarrassment as his own, and remembering how she just said that it was her first attempt at seduction...he realized she was every bit as inexperienced as he was.

Somehow, knowing this made him feel better about the whole situation. He flashed a smile, which was quickly returned. "Can we put all this behind us?" she asked, eyes hopeful. "I'd like for us to go back to the friendship we had before this happened."

Donatello smiled again. "I'd like that too."

He offered his hand, which she took and gave a squeeze before letting go. It was only a brief touch, but it was enough to trigger a flicker of something inside him. A yearning, a disappointment over how things had gone, aware that their friendship could have been something more. But he had learned from watching Michelangelo and his relationship with Elizabeth that something broken didn't pull back together just because you wanted it to. That you couldn't force something if it just wasn't meant to be.

He and Brynn never officially became more than friends. And looking at what had happened when one of them tried to nudge that friendship into something deeper...he could take a hint. He wasn't going to sit around daydreaming about what might have been—although he knew he'd be kidding himself if he said that the thought would never cross his mind. He knew it would, sometimes. But he also knew that thought would only cement what he had known all along, deep down.

He was better off alone.

Brynn felt the same way, he wagered, and thinking about the two of them continuing their platonic friendship made him smile. As he turned to put some of his tools away, he said, "I'm almost done here, do you feel like going for lunch? Just as friends, of course," he added with a grin.

When no one answered, he turned back around to see that Brynn was already gone.

* * *

Splinter was relaxing in his room when Rebecca suddenly ran in, carefully bringing with her all the watercolors she painted since yesterday. She was eager to show her 'papa' the fruits of her labor, and the aging rodent's heart warmed at how anxious she was for his approval as he looked over her work. "These are quite good," he said truthfully. "You have a real talent."

"Becky worked hard," the white kitten said proudly.

"You certainly did."

Though the images were uneven and childish, great pains had clearly been taken with each piece. The lines were all carefully drawn, each color layered meticulously so they wouldn't bleed improperly together. While still the work of a beginner, the effort put into the simple paintings of her family and things she loved showed a depth and maturity not yet apparent in other areas of her development.

"You are fortunate to possess such a gift," he told her, making her beam in delight and scamper off to paint more.

A few minutes after she ran out, Miss Morris came strolling in, shedding her heeled boots before padding barefoot across the tatami mats. After gently moving Rebecca's paintings, a look of affection on her face, she took a seat across from him. "Her mind is developing quickly," she noted. "More quickly than I anticipated, in fact. I worry that being cooped up down here isn't mentally stimulating enough for her."

Already seeing where this was going, Splinter gave her a small smile. "If you wish to take her somewhere you believe will aid her broadening mind, you do not need my permission. I know that her well-being is your primary concern right now."

The slender young woman smiled warmly. "Even so, I wouldn't want to run off with her without telling you first."

Splinter appreciated her thoughtfulness. He would surely miss sweet Rebecca if she were to suddenly disappear.

As the two of them settled into a comfortable silence, Miss Morris looked over Rebecca's paintings for a few minutes. Her eyes then fell on one of the photograph albums she had given him; she lifted it and opened to a random page, though Splinter could tell by the way her gray eyes only briefly scanned the images as she flipped through them that she knew each one by heart.

When she paused on one page in particular, a quiet fondness in her eyes, he spoke up. "These are different from the sort of artwork I usually enjoy, but I have come to admire this particular type of photograph."

The full-page picture they were both looking at had a color scheme similar to the one of the carousel; softly muted to the point it was almost black-and-white, with gentle inclusions of pale blue, yellow, and pink. The picture was of a small girl sitting in a field of flowers, the pink ribbons in her hair and on her dress matching the blush in her cheeks.

A faint smile touched Miss Morris' lips. "You really like them?"

"They have become my favorite. They have such a simple, subtle beauty. I find the quiet energy they possess almost captivating."

He couldn't be sure, but he almost thought the young scientist looked embarrassed as she closed the book and set it aside. "I have another album that features this photographer's work exclusively," she said, after a brief silence. "I could bring it with me next time, if you like."

"Very much. Thank you."

Smiling now, she got to her feet, a thoughtful look on her face. "There's a big park not all that far from here I think Rebecca will enjoy," she remarked. "A friend of mine owns it...I'm sure he won't mind if we use it, as long as we don't hot-wire the electricity or something."

"Is that not a little too public?" wondered Splinter with a frown.

"I wouldn't take her there if it was. Long story short, the owner is an eccentric old real estate tycoon who can't have kids of his own, so he built private parks and playgrounds to amuse all his nieces and nephews, and the kids of his closest friends. But those kids are all grown up now and he's down in Florida till spring."

"Ah."

Hearing how familiar she sounded with this place and its owner made him eye her questioningly. "I had assumed your arrival here with Rebecca was your first time in New York."

Miss Morris shook her head. "Far from it. My parents used to fly out here on business trips all the time, and once in a while they would bring me with. After business was over we would make a holiday of it. And when I was older," she went on, expression turning a little wistful, "I started coming here with friends. All that stopped once I reached college."

Splinter gave a nod, understanding now. Still looking wistful, the young scientist went to tell Rebecca her plans. The white kitten was so ecstatic she started bouncing all over the living room. "I get to go out," she sang happily. "I get to go out with Mama and Papa!"

The rodent in question felt himself redden, while 'Mama', who was in the middle of bending over as she put her boots back on, nearly stumbled. "Papa?"

"It is only a name," Splinter said hastily. "It does not mean anything."

As she straightened up, Miss Morris looked at him in a way that said she didn't agree. "I believe it means a great deal to her," she noted, as Rebecca, still bouncing up and down, grinned at him with affection brimming in her periwinkle eyes. "Figuring out who is who in her life is important for her at this stage. Obviously, she's picked you out as her father figure."

From the smile she gave, Splinter could see she thought Rebecca had made a wise choice. He still felt a little embarrassed, but he smiled in return. She was right; it was important for Rebecca to know who her family was. And she was too young to realize anything beyond the simple fact that the female who cared for you was 'mother' while the male who cared for you was 'father.' She didn't understand that, generally, there was a relationship between those two figures.

They would explain it to her later. For now, he smiled and wished them both a pleasant afternoon. Rebecca stopped putting painting supplies into the backpack she had unearthed and gave him a funny look. "Papa has to come too," she said, furry mouth pouting.

He had gathered from her earlier statement that she wanted him along, but...he had been hoping that in her excitement she would forget. It had been some time since he had ventured to the surface—and he could not remember the last time he had ventured into a public place in broad daylight. That the place was currently closed did not make him any less uncertain about it.

Eyes suddenly narrowing, Rebecca hopped forward and seized his hand. "Papa has to come play too, or it won't be fun," she insisted, giving him a playful tug.

Splinter glanced helplessly at Miss Morris. To his surprise, she was hiding a wide smile behind her hand. "Looks like you don't have much choice," she remarked, eyes dancing. "Her heart is set on you coming along. If you say no, I'm pretty sure it'll break."

She didn't sound remotely concerned. Because she knew as well as he did, no matter how uncomfortable he was with joining their afternoon above ground...he would never be able to bring himself to tell Rebecca he would not.


	31. A Growing Family

On a chilly evening in February, Miss Morris went to pay Miss Elizabeth another doctoral visit, and she decided to bring young Rebecca with this time because she believed it would be educational for her—and Rebecca insisted that Splinter come with them both because, as far as she was concerned, all outings required the three of them.

At the Far East Animal Society, both his old friend Obento and Usagi cordially ushered them into their home and treated him and Rebecca with refreshments, while the young doctor tended to Miss Elizabeth. After the examination the adults drank tea (Rebecca curled up with a glass of milk) together in the sitting room. Miss Morris also declined tea and sipped from a thermos of coffee she had brought with her.

"Your babies are doing just wonderfully," she told the young mother-to-be. "Both of them are healthy and strong. If you put in half as much effort after they're born as you are now, you're going to be an amazing mother."

Such words made the petite redhead turn pink with pleasure, adding to her already lovely glow. She was four months along on her pregnancy now and the slender doctor didn't hesitate to heap praise on her progress. Splinter was sure that her kind, encouraging words were greatly appreciated by the first-time mother.

Rebecca looked a little puzzled by everything as she watched from the cushion she was curled up on. "Growing babies sounds like hard work," she observed, as Usagi reached over and rested a hand on his wife's round middle.

"Indeed it is," said Splinter. "A mother has to nurture those tiny, fragile beings inside her body for nine long months."

"And then?" asked Rebecca, bubbling with curiosity.

"And then the time comes for the babies to be born," the rodent answered, deliberately vague.

The white kitten wrinkled her pink nose. "How did they get in there in the first place?" she wanted to know.

Splinter twitched his whiskers and was glad no one was listening to the two of them. "I shall explain later."

Much, much later.

Vague answers left Rebecca visibly dissatisfied, but she didn't ask anything else. Over on the sofa, Usagi had his cheek pressed to Miss Elizabeth's ample belly. "They certainly are jumpy, aren't they," he remarked, voice adoring.

"I'm pretty sure they get that from their daddy," said his wife with a giggle.

Chuckling, the noble samurai placed a kiss on her middle, giving his love both to her and to the twins. From the look in his blue eyes, it was clear he was anxious for the day there was no longer a barrier between him and his children and he was able to hold them in his waiting arms. Miss Elizabeth wore a matching look.

Watching the two of them express such tender, unmasked love was touching to behold. Unlike himself, Usagi had never been human but was an animal through and through, like his sons. Yet it was evident that Miss Elizabeth cared nothing about their differences, just like how it hadn't mattered to her how different she and Michelangelo were when the two of them were still together. Such unconditional love was inspiring...but at the same time, something about it left him with a bittersweet tang.

The sudden touch of warm breath on his ear made Splinter look away from the joyous couple. Rebecca was sitting up and peering closely at him, periwinkle eyes full of concern. "Are you okay, Papa? You look sad."

"I am fine," he assured her, with a wan smile. "Merely a little tired."

Instead of dropping the matter as he had hoped, Rebecca's concern grew. She turned to where Miss Morris was sitting. "Mama," she said loudly, "Papa doesn't feel well."

Every head turned in their direction; Splinter tried not to darken too obviously. Thankfully, everyone was too polite to laugh...although Miss Elizabeth pressed a hand over her mouth as her green eyes danced.

Expression serene, Miss Morris rose and made a show of looking him over. "Have you been getting enough sleep?" she asked, as she felt the sides of his throat for swelling.

"Most of the time," Splinter said in response, with a glance at Rebecca. She was much better about staying in bed for the night lately, but she still got up to roam from time to time, which never failed to rouse him.

And throughout the day, the rambunctious kitten spent every moment she was apart from her favorite big brother with her 'papa.' There was a conspiratorial look in the young doctor's eyes that hinted she was aware of his recent lack of time to himself—a look that the blissfully wedded couple behind her mirrored with an exchange of knowing smiles.

"Still, I recommend that you take it easy tonight," was the doctor's evaluation. "Maybe go for a long, relaxing walk."

"I could take Miss Rebecca home," Usagi offered.

Rebecca had other ideas. After politely refusing the samurai's offer and just as politely asking to borrow the brown rodent's Turtle-com, she was soon chattering rapidly with her favorite orange-clad big brother. As she scampered out of the room, Splinter heard mention of plans like arcades, pizza, and 'party hardy!'

Miss Morris collected her things and slid her coat on; Splinter got to his feet and picked up his walking stick. Though it was already dark out, the night was still young. And for once he had it all to himself. "Does the doctor have any more recommendations?" he asked solemnly...though he could feel a smile creep into his eyes.

Brynn appeared to think it over for a minute. "Are you up for a little Japanese takeout?"

* * *

Raphael and Monalisa were spending a quiet evening together in one of their favorite places; a vintage-style ice cream parlor. It had cream walls, gray and white checkered floor, glossy redddish-pink table-tops and seats, tin signs on the walls, and an authentic old-fashioned jukebox in the corner. The owner knew who and what they were on account of Raphael and the others rescuing him from being mugged once, and in return he let him and Monalisa hang out here as much as they wanted. The two of them had a special table at the very back of the parlor, mostly hidden behind a room partition that gave them privacy.

It wasn't that late, but it was awfully cold tonight, and even though the place served hot chocolate and other warm drinks this time of year there was no one else in here right now. The two of them enjoyed their alone time to the fullest, shedding their coats and chattering about whatever came to mind; neither of them was in any hurry. In fact, Raphael took an extra long time finishing his float—both because he was a little nervous and because he wanted to give himself a chance to think of something to say.

Unfortunately, even after there wasn't a drop of moisture left in the bottom of his glass, his mind was still a blank. He had wanted to say something at least a little romantic, but instead all he did was flash a shy smile as he suddenly fished a hand under the back of his belt. "I, uh, got something for you."

Monalisa kept her cool and waited quietly while he set a small box on the table...although there was a distinct 'it's about time' look in her eyes.

He knew he'd taken a ridiculously long time picking out her engagement ring, but he couldn't help it. Finding just the right ring had been hard—and then finding just the right ring he could actually afford had been even harder. And when he finally had it, he wanted to wait until just the right moment to give it to her. Lately, even when they were being sneaky about where they were going, a little something liked to mysteriously pop up during their dates. And that something's name was Henry.

Earlier he had run off to some computer club thing at the library, and Monalisa's parents had gone out to dinner. They had the whole evening to themselves. Still acting casual, the slender green mutant lifted the box in her long fingers and opened it—and let out a quiet gasp.

"Oh, Raphael," she said breathlessly, "it's perfect!"

Her eyes started to moisten. Feeling pleased with himself, her fiancé gently took her trembling hand in his, lifted the ring out of the box, and carefully slid it onto her finger. The stone in the center glinted in the light, like a pink star.

He was never able to make up his mind about which was better; a gold band or a silver one. So he'd compromised and got a ring with a white gold band that glistened like frosted silver. The main stone was a pink topaz, flanked on either side by a trio of red sapphires. Not a bad selection at all—and since by then Lizzie had given up on trying to shop with him, he'd picked it out all by himself.

Monalisa definitely approved, if the tears in her eyes and the way she hopped out of her seat to hug him meant anything. After a long exchange of heated kisses and whispered 'I love yous,' they broke apart with flushed cheeks and matching smiles. Raphael dried his future bride's eyes; she let out a laugh and grabbed both of his hands. "Come on," she ordered, tugging him out of his seat, "you need to be there with me when I tell my parents."

"Now?"

Seeing the look on his face, the former human smiled warmly. "Don't be nervous," she told him, kissing his cheek before slapping his hat on his head. "You know they're crazy about you."

Maybe so, but that didn't mean they were ready for him to run off with and marry their little girl.

When they got to the house no one was home yet, so Monalisa prepared for the after engagement announcement celebration and got out glasses and a bottle of champagne. Raphael just hoped she wasn't getting ahead of herself.

A car pulled up outside, followed by Henry bursting in through the front door. His eyes lit up when he saw who was standing in the kitchen. "You get to play my new video game with me," he exclaimed, latching on to Raphael's arm and dragging him to his room.

"I do?"

"We're kind of in the middle of something here," his sister muttered.

"It's okay," said her fiancé with a chuckle. "I need to keep busy till your parents get here anyway."

They didn't show up for another hour, which was more than enough time for Henry to show him that he was out of practice and no match for a master of the current wave of video games. Henry looked both triumphant and sheepish over defeating his favorite hero. His expression turned disappointed when he heard the front door open, signaling that his parents were home. He got up to take a bath while Raphael went to say hi.

"Oh, hello, dear," said Monalisa's mother, as her husband took her coat and hung it up for her. "Did you two eat already? I think there might be leftovers in the fridge."

"With Henry's growing appetite?" Raphael cracked. "Not likely."

His fiancée nudged him. "We're fine, Mom. We, um, kind of need to talk to you."

As she spoke, she took her future husband's hand and held it tightly—a gesture the older couple didn't fail to spot. Her mother's dark eyes also didn't fail to spot the ring glittering on her daughter's finger; she mutely pressed a hand to her mouth.

For a moment Raphael's heart sank, positive they were seconds away from tears and pleadings of 'it's too soon!'—but before he knew what was happening, his future mother-in-law darted forward and pulled him into a tight hug. "I knew this was coming," she sniffled. "I'm so happy for you both. I know you'll take good care of her."

Flushing, Raphael mumbled that he would.

Monalisa's father looked a little dazed. "My baby girl is getting married?"

" _Dad_ ," his daughter groaned, embarrassed. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"We know you're not," said her mother, letting go of Raphael and hugging her close. "But you're still our daughter, and we're still going to miss you."

This triggered more sniffles, and another round of hugs, and promises that they wouldn't move too far away after the wedding. Finally, eyes were dried and the champagne was poured, and the four of them sipped and talked like mature adults.

And then Henry came racing into the room, slipping across the slick tile in his socks before coming to a jerky stop. "What's goin' on?" he asked. "New Year's is over."

"I'm getting married," his sister said casually.

Henry stopped, eyes wide—and then he launched himself at Raphael with a squeal. Raphael fumbled to keep from dropping him as the ecstatic ten-year-old strangle-hugged him around the neck. "Does this mean you're going to be my big brother?" he exclaimed. "Awesome! Can I have one of those turtle-talkie things and hang out with you in your lair and help bust criminals and stuff?"

"How 'bout we start with me putting you to bed?" the turtle suggested as the hyper youth paused for air.

He didn't think that would go over as well as suggesting they go fight crime together or something, but Henry grinned and hugged him again. "Read me to sleep?"

With a grin of his own, Raphael glanced at his bride-to-be, who was watching the two of them with a pleased smile—and a look in her eyes that said she knew as well as he did that his next words were the exact opposite of what the future held. "Just this once."

* * *

Splinter absently stirred the contents of his takeout box as his eyes wandered the tranquil scenery surrounding him. The impressive park owned by Miss Morris' friend had become their favorite place to visit whenever the three of them were on one of their outings. Rebecca adored the place, even though none of the special features worked right now due to the park being closed to the public. Boats that could be taken out onto the large pond during warmer months were locked away in the boathouse, and the charming carousel in the center of the playground stood still and silent.

Rebecca didn't let that stop her; she would mount any number of the wooden horses when she was here as she darted around the playground, which was full of swing sets, teeter-totters, jungle gyms, and numerous other equipment. The place seemed strangely quiet without her, the thick blanket of snow on the ground untouched. At the same time, Splinter found he rather enjoyed coming here at night like this, and his eyes roamed the paths that wound around the bench he was sitting on, imagining that the old-fashioned streetlamps would look lovely if they were lit.

Even without their light, it was easy to see thanks to the full moon overhead. The radiant blue-white glow it cast illuminated the snow on the ground and on the trees, adding to the nearby carousel's already fairytale-like feel. The owner of the park clearly had a love for old things, from the streetlamps to the wrought iron benches to the obviously antique carousel. It had been meticulously restored to its original vibrancy, the colors bold and the style of the hand-carved horses majestic. The lead horse caught his eye the most, its blue-green mane and midnight black body demanding attention as it reared on two legs. But tonight he found himself admiring the horse just behind it, his eyes trailing over the ribbons and flower blossoms on its romance side.

Realization suddenly hit; he set his chopsticks down in surprise. "That is the same horse from the photograph of the little girl," he said.

The carousel looked quite different right now than it did during the day. Lit by the light of the moon, its ordinarily vibrant colors looked muted in a way that was almost like that of the photographs in the albums Brynn gave him. And as his eyes wandered the snow-covered grounds, he realized the horse on the carousel wasn't the only familiar sight. A large, leafless oak tree in the distance also triggered a memory of a photograph taken on what looked like a spring day, and he was positive that a nearby low spot in the ground was where the shot of the child sitting among wildflowers was taken.

"And over there," he went on, gaze shifting to the edge of the pond visible beyond the carousel, "was where the photograph of the three sister was taken."

In the second album there was a picture near the middle of three teenage girls sitting at the edge of a pond, their faces filled with laughter as they wove circlets of flowers for each other's hair. Most of the photographs in this particular album either captured children, wildlife, or just nature itself; this was the only picture of young adults. He couldn't say why, but the image had become his favorite.

"They weren't sisters."

Splinter looked away from the pond and at Brynn, who was sitting beside him. Her eyes were on the half-empty takeout box in her hands. "They were only friends—but I guess reality doesn't matter," she said, with a faint laugh. "Once a picture is taken you can imagine anything about it you want. Put any sort of story to it you feel like."

She spoke in an offhand way, eyes still pointed at her takeout box as she sifted through its contents for a moment...but as she lifted several noodles and slipped them into her mouth, the gray orbs behind her frames took on a distant look. Like her thoughts had suddenly drifted far away, to the images in question...and to the time and place they were taken.

For the second time tonight he came to a surprising realization. "You took them. They're your pictures."

Miss Morris gave an absent nod of her head. "It was a pretty big hobby of mine when I was younger. I gave it up after college."

"Whatever for? You have a wonderful talent."

Her cheeks darkened a shade. Shrugging, she set her takeout box down and rested her hands on the edge of the bench. "Mostly I became too busy for it after I graduated and got my first big job. And after that...my scientific colleagues weren't exactly impressed when they found out I had a habit of sitting out in the woods for hours on end, waiting for the perfect shot."

She shrugged again. "Just part of my one-track mind, I guess."

Her purported indifference made Splinter frown. "I do not believe you should have given up something you obviously enjoyed just because of what a few others thought."

"It doesn't matter anymore," she murmured, fingers curling around the edge of the bench. "That was a long time ago."

Despite her words, it was clear to him that giving up her hobby was a loss she keenly felt even now. She missed this part of herself. After a silence, he quietly asked, "Who were the children you were so fond of photographing?"

"The kids of relatives and a few of my friends, mostly."

Again, she spoke in a light, offhand way, but he sensed it ran deeper than that. "And?" he gently prodded.

Her shoulders slumped a little, like she felt awkward about what she was going to say. "And," she went on, voice soft, "there was an orphanage just down the street from the university. I used to volunteer there when I had time, and sometimes when we went out I would photograph a few of the kids. They used some of the pictures in promotional material, and once in a while I would talk some of the local businesses into displaying a few prints in their shops. It helped raise awareness."

She fell quiet, eyes turning distant again. Sad. Splinter reached over and placed his hand over hers. "That was a very thoughtful thing to do," he told her. "You really are a kind, generous person."

Strangely, something in her expression hardened a little. "I'm not."

"You are," he insisted, puzzled. "You care for Rebecca like she was your own, and you offer your services to Miss Elizabeth without asking for a cent in return."

Brynn abruptly pulled her hand away and stood. "Don't say things like that," she said, voice lowering to a whisper.

Puzzlement growing, Splinter frowned at her. "What is the matter?"

She shook her head. "Just don't."

Before he could say anything else, she started walking briskly away, footsteps muffled by the snow as she disappeared into the cold night. Leaving him alone to wonder just what he had said wrong.


	32. Kinship

The morning following her latest checkup, Elizabeth was in the middle of making breakfast when Hyena suddenly faced the direction of the front door, growling low in his throat. She stroked his head with a reassuring hand and stirred the rice as she listened to Usagi answer the knock that sounded. A minute later her husband joined her in the kitchen, with Leonardo close at his heels.

Hyena ignored the five foot turtle and snapped rudely at Usagi's ankles as he walked by. Usagi didn't so much as blink, but Elizabeth shot the large dog a scolding looking before checking on the grilled fish. He didn't act as unfriendly as he used to, including to Usagi, and she liked to think that Hyena had warmed to the rabbit by now and his occasional aggressive outburst was just a weird way of expressing his affection.

"How is everyone?" she asked Leonardo.

"Busy," the young turtle responded. "Donatello is locked up in his lab with his new invention, Michelangelo went out somewhere with Becky, and Splinter left for some rest and reflection first thing this morning."

"And Lotus?"

"Off chasing more criminals."

Elizabeth nodded and hid a knowing smile. The reptilian ninja spoke casually, but she could tell by the way he quickly made himself comfortable at the kitchen table that he had gotten lonely. Her smile was replaced with a grimace as she reached above her head for the spice jars kept in an upper cabinet—which was kind of a pain thanks to her belly. She would swear it was growing bigger—and heavier—by the day.

Leonardo hopped up from the table. "Here—let me."

The petite redhead stepped back gratefully and rubbed her lower back while he got down the spice jars for her. Usagi busied himself with setting the table. "Where's Obento?" Leonardo wondered, with a sidelong glance at Elizabeth.

"He left a little while ago to take some new additions to the vet," she answered.

The young turtle gave a nod and continued helping her with the cooking. As the two of them worked, Elizabeth noticed he kept glancing at her—or rather at her stomach, she realized. Not like that weird look she got from customers sometimes when she was at work—that mixture of pity and reproach over her becoming a mother at her age, as if it was any of their business. No...Leonardo's eyes showed hints of admiration. And maybe a little envy.

Did he want kids of his own? The thought made her sad for him; reptiles and mammals didn't mix. A shame, too. Leonardo would make a great dad.

"Are you staying for breakfast?" she asked.

"Love to," he said with a smile.

"Everything smells wonderful, my love," Usagi told her.

"You know what else smells wonderful?" asked Hyena from his post by the door. "Roast rabbit."

Elizabeth shot him a weary look. "Behave yourself."

Usagi glanced at the ornery canine before joining her at the table. "What did he say about me now?"

"He's just being his usual disagreeable self."

She didn't have the heart to tell her husband that Hyena frequently made cracks about eating him.

Leonardo let out a chuckle as he pulled up a chair. "You talk like you actually understand him," he remarked.

Usagi gave a shrug and dropped his eyes as he started filling his plate. "When you have worked with animals for as long as we have..."

His attempt to cover for her made his wife smile. "It's okay. He's a friend."

Both her husband and Hyena stopped and looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure?" said Usagi doubtfully.

Elizabeth couldn't blame them for their reaction. She'd made a big deal about keeping her secret from anyone who didn't figure it out for themselves. Sure, she'd told Obento, months ago, but...that was different. He'd become like a father to her, and after spending so much of his life caring for animals he could understand them just as well as she could—just in a different way. The only thing admitting the truth to him had done was further cement his decision to turn the shelter over to her someday.

Her ability was truly a gift, and her old fears of what others thought were gone and forgotten. From now on she was sharing her secret with whoever she felt like sharing it with. She'd share it with the ones who cared about her, because anyone who cared about her would never think she was a freak.

"Of course I wouldn't think that," said Leonardo with a frown when she mentioned this. "None of us would."

"I know you wouldn't."

With a smile and a glance at Hyena, she said, "I _can_ understand him. I understand all of them."

This won her a curious look. "Animals, you mean?"

She nodded.

"All of them? Really?"

"Any animal that can make some kind of noise," she confirmed. "Everyone else only hears barks and chirps, but I can hear words, too. And they can understand me in return."

For a moment Leonardo was quiet. And then he smiled at her, looking impressed. "That's amazing."

Elizabeth's cheeks warmed with pleasure. "Thanks. I can't imagine life without all their special voices."

The turtle looked thoughtful as he took a helping of steamed rice. "You know, I bet that was why..."

He stopped himself, his own cheeks darkening. But Elizabeth had already guessed what he was going to say. "It's all right, I'm over it. And you're right. The Rat King kidnapped me because he saw me talking with rats."

At least rats were the only thing he thought she could understand. She wouldn't have enjoyed it at all if he had been the first one to figure out her secret.

Leonardo eyed her sadly. "He hasn't bothered you again, has he?" he ventured tentatively.

She shook her head. "No. He broke in here once a few months ago, but after Usagi drove him off he never came back."

They both looked at her husband, who lowered his long ears a touch and said nothing. He never talked about exactly what happened that night.

Elizabeth turned back to Leonardo. "If he hasn't tried again in all this time, I doubt he will."

Talking about it triggered recollection of things she didn't really want to remember, or think about. Heart sinking, she poked at her plate with her chopsticks. "I still miss Frederick sometimes," she murmured.

These days she was mostly able to think about him with a smile, his memory bringing her happiness, but sometimes she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if he was still a part of her life. She could practically hear his wisecracks. See his smile as he looked at how things had turned out for her.

Sensing her sadness, Usagi placed his hand over hers. Leonardo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Who's Frederick?" he asked, at length.

"He was my pet rat. The one who..."

She couldn't say it. And she was glad she was still blind that night. The sight of what was left of her best friend on the subway tracks wasn't a memory she would ever want to have.

Judging by the pained look on his face, Leonardo hadn't been so lucky. "Ah. Him."

His drooping shoulders mirrored Usagi's. Elizabeth felt sorry for bringing the mood down like that. "Part of me will always miss him," she said quickly, "but I'm glad the very last part of that night went the way it did. I'm so happy I decided to come here. Best choice I ever made."

Her husband's shoulders lifted again as he smiled at her; she gave his furry hand a loving squeeze. Breakfast resumed and conversation turned light again. Elizabeth liked it when Leonardo came over. He had a pleasant personality that gelled well with her and Usagi. After breakfast was over he helped with the dishes and then the three of them relaxed in the sitting room together. Usagi served one of his favorite tea blends, but Elizabeth was kind of tired of tea. Her pregnancy cravings were in full-swing and today she wanted a good old can of soda. They looked kind of funny sitting in the fridge alongside containers of leftover rice and rolled omelets, but she had put some in there the other day just the same.

Leonardo had already accepted a cup of tea, but when he saw her come back from the kitchen carrying a Coke, he was only able to keep quiet and watch her drink for a couple of minutes before he sheepishly asked if he could have one, too.

"Come back anytime," Elizabeth called when she and Usagi saw him out later.

After closing the front door, she started to head for the storage room so she could grab food for the animals' afternoon feeding, but Usagi shooed her towards their bedroom and told her to lie down for a while. Her back was a little sore and the twins were kicking up a storm today, so she didn't argue with him. In their room she lay back on the warm bed and cupped her growing belly. In just a few weeks she would be five months along on her pregnancy. And after that, only four months to go.

Just four more months and her babies would be here. She couldn't wait.

* * *

"Mikey, did you move my spare palette?"

"No, kitten."

"Well, _somebody_ moved it."

"Why is it whenever something disappears around here _I_ automatically get blamed for it?"

"Gee, I wonder..."

"Hey—don't get all sarcastic. That's what Raphael is for."

From his room, Splinter listened to this exchange with a chuckle. Michelangelo and Rebecca sounded more like actual siblings with each passing day. February had come to a quiet close, followed by an equally peaceful March. After living under constant threat for so long, it was nice to lead a relatively mundane existence for a change.

Splinter's only real concern these days was young Rebecca's upbringing, which was by no means a difficult task. She was both an apt and eager pupil and the hours they spent together, reading and looking at paintings and just testing her knowledge, were a joy. Although still very much a child, her mind was clearly broadening, growing sharper every day. And her painting skills continued to improve—and impress. She had recently graduated to tubes of watercolor paints and applied them to coarse paper with professional brushes.

It saddened him a little that she must remain down here for now due to the excessive rain they had been having—which was hardly something they were completely sheltered from. The extra dampness put an unpleasant chill in the air despite the warming temperatures.

Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about her catching cold. Back when she first began taking her on trips above ground, Miss Morris insisted on the playful kitten wearing clothes for warmth. To her—and everyone else's—relief, Rebecca loved the idea. It made her feel grown up to put on pretty dresses and knit tights and lined boots, and even when she wasn't going out she still liked to dress herself every morning. Thanks to Miss Morris she now had a wardrobe full of feminine dresses and skirts, blouses, hair accessories, and shoes with buckles.

"Big brother Mikey," Rebecca suddenly called, her voice impossibly sweet, "can you mix some blue paint for me?"

"Do I have to? I'm trying to watch TV."

"Please? I'm painting from memory and don't want to stop."

"Oh. Can Donatello do it?"

"He's not home. C'mon, pretty please?"

Michelangelo grumbled to himself, but Splinter heard him get off the couch and do what his 'baby sister' asked. A short moment later there came the sound of high heels clacking on concrete. "Hi, Mama," Rebecca greeted happily.

"Hey, sweetie. I see you're having fun wrapping your big brother around your little finger."

"You bet!"

"I heard that," the turtle in question groused.

Snickering to herself, Brynn appeared in Splinter's doorway, where she slid off her heels before coming into the room. The aging rodent had grown comfortable with her near-constant presence over the last few months. She was younger than him, but still the oldest person he was able to speak with regularly. Even with her sometimes unexpected changes in mood, he enjoyed their almost daily conversations.

As she took a seat on the floor, careful not to disturb the incense he had put out, she took something out of the pocket of her spring coat. "Here," she said, holding out an object made of white cloth that dangled from a string. "I thought you might be getting sick of all these April showers we've been having."

Laughing softly, Splinter took the teru-teru bōzu from her. The ghost-like doll beamed at him with its stitched-on smile and black button eyes. "Thank you, my dear. That was quite thoughtful of you."

Looking like she was in good spirits today, the young scientist shed her coat before opening the bento box she had with her. It was carefully lined with cucumber and tuna rolls, crab sticks, shrimp, and rice balls wrapped in seaweed. "I finally stopped at the place where Elizabeth works," she commented, as she eagerly unwrapped a set of chopsticks. "If this is what all their food is like I'm going to eat there until I die."

Splinter chuckled at her enthusiasm. Grinning, Brynn snatched up a tuna roll and dunked it in soy sauce with relish. She was just bringing it to her mouth when Rebecca called. "Mama, come look at my carousel painting!"

Miss Morris looked pained to leave her lunch and set everything down with a childish pout of her lips before going to the living room. Smiling in amusement, Splinter took a moment to hang up the handmade charm meant to chase away rain clouds and summon sunny skies before sitting back and closing his eyes. Before Miss Morris arrived he had been meditating, and he tried to return to his tranquil state of mind...but the smells wafting from the nearby bento box kept making his nose twitch.

He wasn't hungry, but the odors were tempting, and the youthful chatter and laughter in the next room was distracting. Not that he couldn't easily disconnect himself from such simple interruptions, shutting his mind away in a place where he wouldn't be disturbed. But before he drew in a deep breath to gather his focus, a peal of laughter in the living room made him crack an eye open. His gaze chanced to fall on the photography book lying open beside him.

He remembered leaving off on a different page, but he had turned to the image near the center so much the album had flipped to the shot of the three girls by the pond on its own. He still wasn't certain why he admired it so much. Like all of Brynn's work, it had a quiet, subtle beauty that felt warm and calming when he looked at it. The image itself was simple, yet elegant and rich in detail. The rippling water the trio was sitting beside bore hints of gentle blue, and each of their timeless gowns were soft white and trimmed with ribbons and lace.

The posing of each model was relaxed and natural, as if they were completely unaware they were being photographed as they lounged on the grass. Two of the girls had light brunette hair that coiled softly in the unseen wind, their cheeks rosy with playful laughter as their graceful fingers formed circlets from the flowers growing around their soft skirts. The girl in the center had fair hair, and it was the girl in the center who captured his attention the most.

Perhaps it was the laughter in her eyes, or how her smile somehow seemed brighter than the other two. She was a little taller, her slender limbs longer and more graceful. Her lovely face seemed to glow as she clutched a circlet of flowers in one slim hand while reaching up to place a pink blossom behind her ear with the other. There was a spark of mischief and life in her that the other two didn't possess.

In some strange way, he felt as if he knew her, somehow.

And then the peal of laughter came again, so perfect a match to the beautiful smile he was looking at, it was like the image had been given sound. And finally it hit him: the girl in the picture was Brynn.

The young woman captured in the photograph was so different from the person he now knew, he had to lift the album and look closer to make sure he wasn't imagining it. But now that recognition had been made, there was no mistaking her. She had the same pale hair, the same cheekbones, the same full lips lifted in a wide smile. Through the muted colors in the photograph he could imagine the color gray in her dancing eyes.

"Am I doing good?" he heard Rebecca ask.

"You're doing amazing," said Brynn, as her soft footsteps returned to his doorway. "You definitely found your raw talent."

Splinter hastily closed the album and pushed it away as she came back into the room. As she sat down and eagerly picked up the bento box again, he found his gaze traveling over her pulled back hair, the wire frames in front of her gray eyes, she practical way she was dressed. The years had made such a difference...yet at the same time, he was amazed at himself for not spotting the resemblance sooner.

Feeling the weight of his stare, Miss Morris looked up from her lunch with a frown. "Something wrong?"

He quickly shook his head. "Nothing."

Merely that he felt foolish for not noticing until now. And every bit as foolish for only just realizing fully that business clothes and rigid hairstyles did not mask that Brynn was still a beautiful woman.

He wasn't about to tell her so. More than once now she had responded strangely to a compliment or a kind word, not unlike the way she did that night they were in the park together. He didn't presume to understand what caused her to react in such ways—especially not why she only seemed to react that way with him. It was as if she was uncomfortable with too much kindness coming specifically from him.

Brynn frowned again. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ears warming, Splinter gave up on meditating and got to his feet. "Forgive me, my dear. I do not feel like myself today."

He went to the living room, where Michelangelo was seated on the couch watching television and Rebecca was adding the finishing touches to her latest painting nearby. She held herself straighter with pride as he came over to admire her work. "See, Papa? Mama says it's my best one yet."

The aging rodent agreed; each of her efforts was noticeably better than the last. While still the work of a child, her level of patience and attention to detail wasn't something that could be taught or gained through practice. She had indeed discovered her raw talent.

After praising her hard work, he carefully broached a subject he had wanted to bring up more than once but worried might upset her. "You do understand that neither I or Miss Morris are really your parent, don't you?" he asked, as gently as he could.

"Of course you are," said Rebecca, without hesitating or looking away from her carousel painting.

Splinter's heart sank. "But we did not—"

"You didn't bring me into the world," the white kitten finished for him. "I know. Mama explained it to me when I asked her where I came from."

The thought made him frown. "What exactly did she tell you?"

Rebecca finally lowered her paintbrush and looked at him. "She said that I came from a regular cat, and I was a regular kitten once, and then I stepped in some weird goop that made me what I am now. And now you're really my papa and she's really my mama, and the turtles are really my big brothers, because the people who love you are your family. You love me just like I love you, and that makes you my family."

She went back to painting, and Splinter couldn't disagree with her logic.


	33. Celebration

By the time mid April rolled around, the shelter saw more visitors than it had in years. Dr. Morris came by to see how Elizabeth was doing once or twice a week, and more often than not she brought Rebecca with her. The bright-eyed kitten was eager to help and brimming over with questions about babies and birth. Her no-nonsense mother figure didn't think she was old enough to hear the answers and skillfully dodged whenever the mutant feline asked.

Aside from the three of them (Rebecca dragged Splinter along every chance she got) the others started dropping by a lot, too. Leonardo and Raphael came over the most, usually bringing their significant others with them. Elizabeth never really had friends beyond the animals, so having so much company was a welcome change. She especially liked it when she, Lotus, and Monalisa got to sit down for a little girl talk. That the other girls were a consummate ninja and a mammalian-lizard made getting to know them all the more interesting.

It was around the time her belly really started to show that the gifts began coming in. At first she received flowers and cards offering congratulations, and then, largely thanks to her four special friends, the toys started to pile up. She saw Mikey the least, but he still managed to send along a load of toys and games, most of which needed to be set aside for now but would thrill the twins when they were a little older.

The girls did their part too, bringing her anything they thought she needed each time they stopped by, and before long Elizabeth had a collection of baby bottles, clothes, bibs, and other essentials. But the one who ended up giving her more things than anyone was Leonardo.

"Such intriguing devices," said Usagi one evening, as he curiously inspected a windup baby swing. "And so many of them."

Having twins meant the volume of what they needed almost doubled. Elizabeth had bought a stroller and anything else she could that fit two babies, but they still ended up with a lot more than if they were only having one.

"Should we get two cradles?" her beloved husband asked as the two of them dressed for bed.

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "No," she decided, smiling, "I think one big one will do for now."

As she ran a comb through her hair, she pictured the twins sharing the cradle for the first few months of their lives, until they grew too big and needed separate cribs. And then in a few years they would outgrow the cribs and need their own beds—traditional futons, of course. The thought of giving mattresses with springs to a pair of bunnies made her chuckle to herself. She set her comb down—and stopped with a quiet gasp, hand pressed to her middle.

Usagi was immediately at her side. "Is something wrong?" he asked in concern. "Are you in pain?"

Elizabeth shook her head with a smile, hand still on her middle. "No. Someone's just extra jumpy tonight."

Still smiling, she went over and sat on the bed, both hands cupping her belly. She stayed quiet for several minutes, just enjoying the unique experience of having her little ones tumble around inside her. She wasn't sure what they were doing—kicking? rolling over?—but the feeling never failed to thrill her. Tonight she also felt an ache of longing. She wanted so much to hold them.

Usagi sat beside her and placed his hands over hers as he laid his cheek on her belly. After a moment he chuckled. "They certainly are active," he remarked, voice affectionate.

"Probably can't wait to meet their daddy."

"The feeling is mutual."

Her husband pressed a kiss to her belly before sitting up. Hugging him was becoming a challenge thanks to her ever-growing middle, but as a wave of love swept over her, Elizabeth hugged him anyway. "I'm so glad you came into my life, Usagi."

"And I am ever so glad you came into mine," the furred samurai returned. "Being able to devote myself to you and our children has given my life new meaning."

He drew her closer, shifting a little so her belly was to the side, allowing him to cradle her head on his shoulder as he stroked her hair. "With you I have found my true place, my true home. If ever a path to my old world were to open, I would have no need to take it."

The young redhead's eyes grew moist as she squeezed her husband tight. After exchanging a loving kiss, the two parted long enough to put out the lights and slip into bed. In the morning, Elizabeth was disappointed to wake up to the absence of warm, furry arms around her. She soon tracked her husband to the kitchen—only instead of preparing breakfast, he and Obento were taking boxes and containers of food that should have been in the storage room and placing them on the kitchen table and counters.

Frowning in puzzlement, she asked, "What happened?"

"One of the new animals got into the food last night," Usagi told her, without pausing his work. "We managed to save most of it, but some will have to be replaced."

Elizabeth frowned harder. Even for a newer addition, this was odd behavior for their playful yet docile shelter animals. She felt tempted to find out who was responsible and why, but a quick glance told her that no one who didn't walk on two legs was in sight. The shelter was mysteriously quiet, too.

"Would you mind running to the store?" Obento asked her. "Usagi and I will stay here and handle the cleanup."

As he spoke, he handed the puzzled girl a shopping list. Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows, still perplexed by this uncharacteristic behavior, but she took the list. The other two hurried out of the kitchen, leaving her alone. After grabbing some breakfast and changing into a casual maternity outfit, Elizabeth headed out the door. No one came to see her off—not even Hyena. "I want a full explanation when I get back," she called over her shoulder.

As she started down the steps, she could have sworn she heard someone snickering.

The list was small, but the shops she needed to buy everything at were scattered all over the block, which led to a lot of walking and a bit of backtracking when she inevitably forgot which place carried what. It was almost lunchtime by the time she finished and she was getting hungry, so even though it was her day off she decided to stop by the sushi bar where she worked for a quick bite.

"Just can't stay away, huh?" her boss teased as she walked through the front door.

"From a place like this?" laughed Elizabeth. "Never."

"Just the same," said her rotund boss, turning serious as his wife joined them, "you ought to stay away from now on."

The petite redhead felt herself go pale. "What?"

"Absolutely," said his wife, nodding in agreement. "This job really keeps you on your toes and you need to take it easy, lugging those two around like you do. So until we say so you're not allowed in here unless you're out of uniform. Got it?"

Her dark eyes twinkled. Elizabeth suddenly felt weak in the knees; she sank into the nearest chair. "Oh..."

"It'll be a paid leave of absence, of course," her boss told her, after sending a signal to a pair of her fellow waitresses that had them scurrying off to the kitchen. They scurried back a few minutes later with her favorite item from the menu and a cold drink. Elizabeth had to blink back tears.

"Thank you," she managed to say after swallowing back the lump in her throat.

"Don't mention it—you just take care of yourself and those babies. And tell that husband of yours to stop by sometime."

As soon as she had the chance, Elizabeth was going to zip Usagi up in his sweatshirt and bring him straight here.

After lunch and many more thank yous to everyone for their kindness, the young girl started for home. She took her time, enjoying the sunny afternoon. Springtime was in full bloom, with clear blue skies and flowers budding in pots and gardens. Usagi was delighted by all the cherry trees blossoming around their neighborhood.

When she got back to the shelter, the place was even quieter than when she left. With a pert frown on her face and a suspicion growing in her mind, Elizabeth checked around the main room for a minute, then peeked into the back hallway. "Anyone home?"

"In the kitchen, my love," came Usagi's voice.

Eyebrows raised in dry curiosity, Elizabeth went to the instructed room—and stopped in the doorway, stunned.

Everyone was here. Leonardo and Lotus, Raphael and Monalisa, Donatello, Splinter, and Rebecca. Even Mikey, head ducked down as he smiled shyly. They were all standing around the kitchen table with Usagi and Obento and grinning ear to ear. On the table was a big rectangular cake with frosting designed to look like baby bottles, rattles, and a flying stork. 'Congratulations!' was written across the center. Surrounding the cake were plates of cookies, brownies and other treats, and even though she couldn't imagine needing anything more, there was a stack of small, brightly wrapped shower gifts.

Elizabeth blinked back tears for the second time today. Her gaze quickly lowered, focusing on the animal lying casually on the floor, innocent as anything. "No one got into the storage room, did they," she said, her words a statement and not a question.

Hyena twitched an ear. "What was your first clue?"

Grinning, Usagi came over and kissed her cheek. "We needed to say _something_ to keep you distracted for a few hours," he said wryly.

As the petite redhead took another look at all their smiling faces she felt her heart melt. "You guys are the best. Really."

"Naturally," said Raphael. The red-clad turtle pointed at the plate of fudge brownies. "You gonna eat those?"

"You got it!"

Laughing, Elizabeth hurried and started gorging on her fair share of sugary snacks. The kitchen was soon humming with chatter, marked by the occasional laugh and loud exclamation. Even a number of the animals joined in, making a racket as they bounded under the table and started squabbling over crumbs. She couldn't have asked for a better baby shower.

When the plates were empty, the gifts had been opened, and Elizabeth started to feel like she'd had just a little too much sugar, Usagi laid his hand on her arm. "There is one last gift," he told her, his smile mysterious.

He took her hand and led her out of the kitchen; everyone else followed after them curiously. Elizabeth couldn't imagine what he wanted to show her here at the back of the shelter, but her husband remained silent as he stopped outside a door and slid it open. This time no amount of blinking was able to keep the tears from her eyes.

She had mentioned to her husband just the other day that they needed to start working on the nursery. Usagi had given her a vague response and changed the subject. Now she saw that he and Obento had secretly been remodeling the room just across and down the hall from her and Usagi's bedroom.

The new nursery had everything she could possibly want. Baby furniture, a plush rug instead of tatami mats, a rocker draped with a blanket, a chair by the window—and a beautiful brown-and-cream cradle, ready and waiting for its future occupants. Sniffling, Elizabeth turned and gave her husband a tight hug, too overwhelmed to speak.

"I can't tell, are those sad tears or happy tears?" wondered Raphael teasingly.

Laughing, Elizabeth turned and gave him a hug, too. "Happy, you big goon."

She kissed his cheek, which made him visibly embarrassed, and then she went around and hugged everyone else, awkwardly big baby belly and all. Afterward Obento served tea and everyone sat and talked for a while longer, until the evening wore on and inevitably they began to say their goodbyes. Leonardo left last, giving Elizabeth's round belly a gentle pat before seeing himself out.

While her husband and Obento tidied the kitchen, Elizabeth relaxed with her feet up (at Usagi's insistence) and sipped another cup of tea. "I have the best friends ever," she declared, with a happy sigh.

First thing in the morning she was going to start filling out thank you cards.

"It does my heart good to see you so full of joy," Usagi told her with a smile.

Elizabeth smiled back before relaxing further, letting the steam from her cup warm her face. "You know something? I think it does my heart good, too."

* * *

After such a long, full day, Splinter felt pleasantly sleepy and decided to retire to his room early. Before getting into bed he sat for a time with one of the photograph albums Brynn had given him, flipping through the pages by candlelight. The images were calming, and his subterranean home was peaceful and quiet.

Quiet except for the sudden patter of small feet outside his doorway. "Papa?"

Splinter couldn't help smiling as he looked up, though his voice was firm as he said, "You should be in bed at this hour."

Rebecca had greatly improved when it came to sleeping through the night. What was troublesome now was getting her to bed in the first place.

"I know," she said, as she came and sat down in front of him. "I just wanted to ask you something."

The dark-furred rodent smiled again and set the album aside, but instead of voicing her question right away, Rebecca fidgeted for a few moments, tail swishing. Almost like she was hesitant—not at all her usual behavior when she was curious about something. "Did you ever have any kids?" she finally asked. "You know...before?"

The calmness inside him was rapidly replaced with sorrow. He swallowed it down and kept his expression neutral as he answered. "No," he said softly, before quickly adding, "but thanks to you and your brothers I have been able to experience that joy just the same. As you have already figured out, the ones who love you are your family, related or not."

Instead of looking satisfied, Rebecca appeared to have something more on her young mind. "About that..."

"Yes, my child?"

"Have you ever loved anyone?"

"Of course—the five of you," said Splinter, sensing that wasn't what she meant but hedging.

Her ears twitched. "Someone special, I mean."

Sorrow gripped his heart again. "No," he murmured. "I was never allowed that chance."

He lowered his eyes for a moment, then asked, "Why the sudden curiosity?"

The white kitten shrugged. "I've just been thinking. I asked Mama the other day about babies and she told me I don't need to worry about it until I'm old enough to fall in love."

"She is right," Splinter murmured.

Shrugging again, Rebecca moved closer and kissed his cheek before hopping to her feet. "I was only wondering. I didn't mean to make you sad, Papa."

She said goodnight and scampered off, and Splinter blew out the candles before lying back on his futon. He tried to push away the sadness inside him—the sadness he had failed to keep from his face—but it clung stubbornly to his heart and grew deeper. It was a feeling that forced him to face something that had been gnawing at the back of his mind for longer than he realized, thanks to the wedding of one of his sons and the engagement of another.

It showed him that something he hadn't thought possible was actually very possible. Two of his sons had found love—true and unconditional love. Thoughts of romance and affection were ones he had ignored all these years, believing them nothing but an impossible dream for each of them. But reality had proven otherwise. And now, when he should be closing his eyes and going to sleep, he stared off into the future.

One by one his sons were leaving him—which was inevitable and right. He knew that even when, one day soon, the only one left with him was Rebecca, he would find contentment. But even as he tried to comfort himself with the thought of caring for her for many years to come, there was a loneliness deep down in his soul. And a longing for something he knew he would never find.


	34. An Old Friend Returns

It wasn't until Michelangelo realized that the baby shower was the most interesting thing to happen recently did it dawn on him just how boring this year had been—last year, too. Sure, there had been a lot of changes to the family, and Rebecca had become part of their lives, but had there been any real action and excitement? Aside from that one night last year, not really...and he didn't care to remember that.

All the quiet was nice at first. It gave him more time to have fun, reading comics and watching TV and surfing the sewers. It felt great not to have so many heavy responsibilities or the threat of danger hanging over his head all the time. But after taking it easy for so long he was ready for a little excitement, just to shake things up.

But the baby shower had done one thing for him, he reminded himself as he took a lazy walk through the tunnels outside the lair one afternoon. He finally came to realize just how much Lizzie had changed since they first met. She was so open and confident now, not at all like the shy, blushing, soft-spoken girl he'd gotten so tongue-tied over the first time he saw her. She wasn't the girl he fell in love with anymore.

Realizing this made him feel a little down in one way, but better in another. He could accept her as only a friend and let go of what they used to have now. He couldn't think of her as his Lizzie anymore when the Lizzie she had become was a married woman and a mom-to-be. He was glad they were comfortable enough with each other to still be friends, while at the same time he couldn't help feeling sad that he was alone again.

A little voice inside him reminded him that he still, technically, had Kala—but the thought made him scoff and shake his head. She wasn't willing to give up her home world and neither was he. She had her life and he had his, and even if they considered themselves "together" they would always be separate. It wasn't enough for him. He wanted someone he could call his own and hold whenever he wanted to.

Thinking about it bummed him out, and he continued to brood over it as he turned a corner and headed deeper into the dank tunnels. He was vaguely aware of a faint buzzing sound somewhere behind him, but he was so distracted he didn't really notice. Not until the sound grew piercingly loud and was right on top of him.

"Heads up!" a voice yelled.

Startled, Michelangelo dove out of the way with a yelp—right into a stream of rain runoff. "Well, _that_ was fun," he groused.

As he rolled over and sat up, the loud, strangely familiar buzzing stopped. Someone chuckled and sneakers thumped over to him. "You okay?" an amused voice asked.

Wincing, the young turtle looked up—and felt his droopy spirits lift in a hurry. "Mondo Gecko?" he said in surprise. "Where've you been keeping yourself all this time?"

"Scarce," was the wry response. "Things were pretty hairy topside for a while, so I thought I'd better lay low till things cooled down. Do my skateboarding in a safer part of the sewer."

He shrugged, then smiled and held out his hand; Michelangelo grasped it and his friend helped him to his feet. "I came back around here the other day," Mondo went on, "but nobody was home."

"We've kind of been busy lately," said the orange-clad ninja, sorry he'd missed him.

"Oh? You still kicking butt and saving the world?" the mutant gecko wondered, as he tucked his motorized skateboard under his arm.

"Not exactly," said Michelangelo, and as the two friends walked together he explained about Leonardo moving out and getting married, Rebecca joining the family, and Raphael's engagement.

"All sounds pretty domestic," noted Mondo when he finished. "And if the big leader ran off to play house, who's in charge?"

"No one," the young reptile admitted sheepishly. "After he left, we all just kind of did our own thing."

"Is that what you were pondering just now?" his friend teased, as he hopped back on his board and propelled it manually. "The sordid possibilities of the future?"

"No," Michelangelo mumbled, "I was thinking about girls."

"Careful, your head might explode."

"If you're hinting that I need to mellow out, I'm working on it."

"Hey, if you need help chilling, I'm your lizard."

Michelangelo felt better already—just being around Mondo and his carefree attitude made the troubles that were weighing him down only a minute ago feel so much lighter. In his young life there were few things he was able to have all to himself, few things he didn't share with his brothers, so it was nice to have a friend he knew no one was closer to than he was. He was already looking forward to filling him in on everything else that had happened since they saw each other last, and do all the fun things his brothers were too busy to do these days.

As if sensing the direction his thoughts were heading, Mondo asked, "Wanna thrash concrete?"

"Love to, but I left my board at home."

"So? Let's run back and get it."

The young turtle didn't need much coaxing. Together they hurried to the lair, which was just the way he left it: empty. Empty except for Rebecca, who Splinter felt had matured enough to be left alone for short periods of time. Michelangelo only gave her a glance as he hurried to dig his own motorized skateboard out from under his bed—but Mondo stopped and stared. "Who is _that_?"

Confused, Michelangelo turned around, thinking that somebody else must have come into the room, but no. There was only little Becky sitting in the corner, happily working on a new painting. "That's Becky, remember? I just told you about her a minute ago."

"No, you told me about a kitten," the young gecko corrected. "That is no kitten. That is a fox."

All of a sudden Michelangelo felt the urge to hit him. "She's just a baby," he sputtered.

"If by baby you mean I wish I was her daddy..."

Hit, strangle, and then hit some more. And maybe some shaking for good measure while hollering _stop looking at her like that!_

Instead he played dumb and said, "No idea what you mean."

Mondo gave him a funny look but thankfully didn't say anything else. By now Becky had noticed the two of them, and she dropped her paintbrush as she hopped up and scurried over. "Hi, big brother," she greeted cheerfully as she gave him a tight hug.

As he absently patted her thick hair, Michelangelo kept one eye on Mondo, who looked a little too interested in the length of the short, lacy pink skirt Becky was wearing. Scowling, he turned his baby sister the other way and coaxed her back to her paints. "This girl you've been thinking about must be some piece of work," Mondo noted, "if you're not, you know, noticing anything else around here."

"I'm over it," the young ninja said quickly. "Her, I mean."

"Oh?"

"Uh-huh. She's married now."

"Then why are you still thinking about her?"

"Because...I wasn't...oh, never mind."

Flustered, Michelangelo quickly retrieved his skateboard from the pile of junk under his bed and started for the door. "Let's get going," he said.

"Can I go, too?" Becky asked eagerly.

"Sorry, kitten," he told her, hoping this would stay a guys outing, "I don't have an extra board."

"Plenty of room on mine," Mondo said smugly.

Before Michelangelo could say anything, Rebecca gave a delighted hop and skipped out of the room behind the mutant gecko. With a frown, Michelangelo hurried after them.

For the next hour or so the three of them tore through tunnels and down abandoned corridors, the buzz from both motorized skateboards so loud they had to shout to hear each other. Michelangelo's gloomy thoughts from earlier faded away and were forgotten, his mind now focused on the twists and turns he was making, the unnecessary stunts he pulled. When he rode up the side of a curved wall, Mondo laughed and mimicked the move.

Becky laughed too, clearly enjoying the wild ride. The young turtle would have happily made room for her on his board, but he wasn't able to get close enough to make the offer. Mondo kept his juiced-up board running at full-speed the entire time, and the two of them stayed ahead of him, just out of reach. Becky's white tail trailed in the air like a fluffy streamer.

When Michelangelo decided it was time to take a break, the two skateboards pulled to a stop and Rebecca hopped down. "That was fun," she said, eyes shining.

"Glad to hear it, kitten," the orange-clad turtle told her affectionately. "But we should probably be getting back."

He'd never taken her so far from the lair before and he didn't want Splinter to come home and start worrying. "Awww, so soon?" Becky complained.

"Yeah—here, you can ride back with me."

As he was reaching out to take her arm, Mondo suddenly flashed him a smug look. "She's perfectly safe with me," he said—and before Michelangelo could react the lizard had snared his long tail around his baby sister's waist, picked her up off her feet and deposited her on his board behind him. "See?" said Mondo.

The young turtle knew his close friend was only kidding around—mostly—but the innocence in Rebecca's eyes as she giggled and hung on to the mutant reptile as he started his board up again still triggered a flare of brotherly protectiveness he had to fight to keep in check. He didn't say much as they ended up taking another spin around the sewer before heading home. Looking a little tired but happy, Becky went over to relax on the couch; Mondo followed close behind, his eyes following her every move. "You should come over again," the sweet kitten invited.

"Count on it, babe."

Okay, that was too much. Teeth gritted, Michelangelo grabbed his friend's shoulder and started shoving him into the next room. "May I speak to you, O buddy of mine?"

"What's with you?" Mondo demanded as he tugged his shoulder away. "You're acting really weird."

The young ninja decided to lay it down, plain and simple. "It's like this," he explained, gesturing pointedly with his hands. "You? Best friend. Her? Baby sister. Best friend and baby sister don't mix. Don't you watch TV?"

This earned him a dramatic eye roll. "Oh, give me a break. This is reality, not a soap opera."

"Doesn't matter," Michelangelo insisted. "She's too young for you. She doesn't even understand romance yet."

"Really? She didn't strike me as being that slow," said the mutant gecko, something sly in his tone.

"She's not," the irritated turtle said hotly. "She's a super-fast learner."

"Then why don't you let her figure things out on her own and let her make up her own mind?"

Before either of them could continue, the sound of sharp, clacking footsteps entered the living room. "Mama," Becky greeted happily.

Not wanting the innocent kitten's no-nonsense and frequently frosty mother-figure to overhear what they were arguing about, Michelangelo shut his mouth and plastered a bland expression on his face before heading into the living room. Curious, Mondo followed at his heels.

Dr. Morris was over by the couch giving Rebecca a warm hug. Splinter was standing nearby and watching the two with a smile—a smile that grew when he saw Michelangelo and who he was with, and he greeted Mondo Gecko pleasantly. "I'm good, thanks," the mutant lizard returned, sounding distracted. Michelangelo looked and saw that his gaze was now focused on the attractive biochemist. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or annoyed.

"Who's your friend?" asked Mondo, addressing Splinter.

"This is Dr. Morris," the ninja master replied, as the female scientist let go of Rebecca and turned around. If she was surprised to see another mutant, it didn't show in the slightest. She merely adjusted her glasses, her frostiest look in place. "I would love to colloquy on the latest developments in the lives of young terrapins, but I really must be going."

"But you just got here," Rebecca protested. "You have to see my new painting."

Before the slender scientist could respond, the determined kitten jumped up from the couch, latched onto her arm and tugged her away. Chuckling, Splinter excused himself and went to his room. Mondo was scratching his head. "I have no idea what that woman just said. But she's hot."

Michelangelo gave him a weary look. "You've finally discovered girls, huh?"

"How'd you ever guess?"

* * *

A few minutes after going off with Rebecca, Miss Morris appeared in Splinter's doorway. Though Splinter smiled when he saw her, letting his expression grant her permission to enter, she didn't come into his room. She remained standing in the doorway, one hand resting on the curved frame. Her eyes were distant, the toe of her heeled shoe tapping on the floor like she was feeling pensive—distracted. She had been that way all afternoon.

He was a little surprised when she suggested earlier that the two go out together—without Rebecca. But in the end he had happily accepted her offer to pick up takeout from the place where Miss Elizabeth worked and indulge in a relaxing lunch at the park. He enjoyed Brynn's company and expected an afternoon of pleasant conversation, but instead the young scientist had remained strangely quiet, nodding absently when he spoke. There was clearly something on her mind, and more than once he thought she was about to say something only to stop herself.

"Thank you for lunch," he ventured.

Brynn gave another absent nod, a smile briefly touching her lips. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She fell silent again, and Splinter felt his own smile fade. Brynn was obviously upset about something, and when she looked at him again, there was a strange look in her eyes. Almost like she was pleading with him about something. "You'll keep taking care of her for me, won't you?"

"Of course," the ninja master assured her. "And you are more than welcome to come and continue her education whenever you like."

Instead of looking pleased, the young scientist quickly averted her gaze. Her posture turned rigid and she worried a button on her spring coat as she spoke again. "Actually, the laboratory I used to work at back home called. They've finished with cleanup and offered me my old position. My flight leaves first thing tomorrow."

This unexpected news left Splinter stunned. He frowned hard as he thought about how poorly a certain someone would undoubtedly take this abrupt change. "What of Rebecca?" he asked quietly.

Brynn continued to avoid his gaze as she answered. "It wasn't an easy decision, but while she still has a great deal more to learn, I know she'll be safe here. I know you'll take the best care of her that you can—all of you."

"She is still certain to miss you," said Splinter. "Like any young child suddenly separated from their mother, I am sure this will come as a shock to her."

"I know," Brynn murmured, her head lowering. "It's going to be hard on me too. I'm going to miss these last few months more than you could ever know. But I need to leave."

As she lifted her head again her gray eyes were bright with unshed tears—and pain. "Unless you have a reason I should stay."

Taken aback, Splinter faltered, "I am not sure what you are asking me."

The young scientist flashed a humorless smile. "I thought you might say something like that. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

She turned and was gone, and Splinter was left feeling like she had taken something with her that he would never get back.


	35. Never Let Go

When Rebecca learned that Brynn was leaving for Europe, she burst into tears even harder than Splinter feared she would. Brynn hugged her goodbye and promised to stay in touch before all but running to the surface. Rebecca threw herself onto her bed and sobbed so long and with so much anguish Splinter began to worry for her health. Michelangelo and Mondo Gecko hovered for a while, clearly concerned but unsure of what do, until the stricken kitten's inconsolable tears had them fidgeting awkwardly. They silently decided to leave her be and tiptoed away.

Splinter tried to comfort her but she refused to listen and cried harder, so he let her be as well, though the sound of her sobs caused a painful ache inside his heart. When night came he made a hot meal for her and tried to coax her to eat, but Rebecca wanted no part of it. Eventually she exhausted herself so much she fell asleep, yet her tears continued to flow even as she dreamed.

Their usually cheerful home turned almost eerily quiet. He was used to his sons being away, but he had grown so accustomed to young Rebecca's movements, her happy voice, that the place almost felt unwelcoming without them. He was grateful she was at least getting some rest and didn't want to accidentally wake her, and so he decided to slip out quietly and take a short walk.

He ended up at the park that had become so special to him and Rebecca during the winter months. Now that spring was here and the weather had warmed, the owner had returned and reopened the place. The rides were operational and the boathouse was open, and Splinter felt saddened that he could only bring Rebecca here after dark now, when the gates were locked, the rides were shut down and everyone else had gone. Still, the place was just as lovely at night as it was during the day.

Tonight was no exception; it was a little chillier than usual, causing a faint mist to hover just above the ground, illuminated by the glow of the old-fashioned streetlights that lined the flagstone walkways. Overhead, the sky was full of wisps of clouds that half-hid the crescent moon, giving the night a pearl gray color.

The heaviness of his thoughts had Splinter leaning on his walking stick more than usual as he moved down the walkways. This unexpected turn of events still had him in shock. He was mostly troubled for Rebecca's sake, but there was a part of him that felt personally wounded. He had grown so comfortable with Brynn's presence, her friendship, that he had begun to imagine her as a permanent part of his life. She had every right to leave if that was what she wished, but the thought of her absence was already creating an emptiness inside him.

He would have liked to have bid her farewell properly, but her announcement had caught him by surprise and she had left before he had the chance. No doubt she was at her hotel that very moment, making final preparations for her flight. She had said she would stay in touch with Rebecca, not him, so he had a strong feeling he would not be hearing from her again.

A shrill squeaking in the distance suddenly cut into his thoughts. The sound was rhythmic, alternating between a higher and lower pitch, like something being moved back and forth. It was the sound of someone idly swinging on a swing set in need of a little oil.

Splinter paused, wondering who else could be here at this hour. He could only picture one person, and curiosity had him moving forward again, until he rounded a bend in the walkway and cleared a row of blossoming trees. A slender figure sat on a swing at the middle of a colorful frame, her blond hair loose and coiling around her face as she nudged herself into half-hearted motion. Her glasses were absent, leaving her gray eyes exposed, the pain in them unobstructed.

The rodent wasn't sure if she was aware of his tentative approach, not until she sank the toes of her shoes into the sand, stilling her movement. Her hair fell around her downcast face. "I came out here to make up my mind if I should see you one last time," said Brynn, before Splinter could think of something to say. "I guess I have my answer."

She flicked a glance in his direction before focusing on the ground again. Not sure of where this was heading, Splinter went over to the swing beside her. The mist was thickening, and as he took a seat on the wooden swing he noted that the air smelled like rain.

"I need to ask you something."

The ninja master looked at the woman sitting next to him. "I'm listening."

Brynn lifted her head and met his gaze. Her eyes were tired, yet suddenly hard. Determined. "Do you think I'm making the wrong decision?"

This woman had a knack for taking him by surprise. The decision was hers and it had already been made, so he didn't see what speaking his thoughts would accomplish. And why would she be concerned with what he thought in the first place? But she had asked, and so he would oblige her with an honest answer.

"I cannot help but wish for Rebecca's sake that this had not happened so abruptly," Splinter said quietly. "But in the end it is your decision and yours alone. You must do what you feel is best."

The young scientist let out a scoff. "I'm not asking for your permission, I'm asking your opinion."

Frowning, Splinter looked away. The swing was too high for his short legs to reach the ground, and so he looked at how far away his clawed toes were from the sand. It gave him a funny feeling—a sense of vulnerability, a youthfulness he no longer had. "I am not sure I can give it," he said, voice quieter still. "I am not yet sure of how I feel."

The weight of Brynn's gaze was heavy. "Do you want me to go?"

He looked at her again. "No. Of course not."

"I don't either."

Splinter's frown grew, his forehead lining with puzzlement. "Then why...?"

With a tired sigh, Brynn rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around herself. She gave a shrug. "It was an overly hasty decision?" she said helplessly. "I told you before, I'm prone to becoming too focused on one thing. And when I do I lose sight of everything else. It's reached the point where I'm starting to get distracted at work. Make mistakes. When the idea came to me that maybe it would be better if I returned home and went back to my old routine, I acted without thinking."

He could tell by her tone that it was an action she now regretted. He was happy to tell her that if there was still time to cancel her flight she was more than welcome to resume caring for Rebecca. "Though is her presence in your life really that much of a distraction?" he added doubtfully.

The young scientist chuckled. "No. I'm not talking about Rebecca."

She turned to face him, her pale hair catching the light. "I'm talking about you."

And her knack for taking him by surprise continued. "Me? I am afraid I do not understand."

Smiling wryly now, Brynn went on, "I figured as much. I don't think you have any clue, and it isn't easy for me to enlighten you. I've never been good at opening myself up. And the last time I really allowed myself to be vulnerable went badly."

Splinter's head was starting to swim. It took him a moment to realize what she was referring to—and when he did he felt more confused than ever, not to mention flustered. "But that is not—I mean, you are not in a situation like that. Not at all."

And he did not see why she would make that comparison, but the lovely young woman continued to smile wryly as she lowered her eyes. "True, the situation is different, but the feeling is the same. I'm still putting myself out there in a way I'm not comfortable with."

Lifting her eyes again, she lowered her arms and drew closer. "It's hard," she murmured, her gray eyes gazing into his brown ones. "Wanting something you can't have so much. But at the same time knowing you won't ever be completely sure of that if you don't speak up, even though the thought terrifies you."

She leaned closer; Splinter's throat suddenly felt tight, and when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. His heart all but turned over as Brynn bent over him, one hand caressing his cheek as she brought her face close to his. "What I'm trying to say," she murmured, lips warm against his ear, "is that I love you, dearest Splinter."

Brynn pressed a kiss to his cheek before straightening. She stepped back, and Splinter gaped at her from the swing, dumbfounded. She was right; he hadn't a clue she was harboring feelings for him. And now that he knew, he had no idea what to say—no idea where to even begin. For all his insight, he never saw this coming.

The pretty scientist didn't fail to notice how taken aback he was, and she ducked her head as she smiled ruefully. "This is the part where you say you only like me as a friend and tell me to get lost."

"But..."

This was happening too fast for him. His head was swimming again, and he pressed a hand to his forehead as he continued to stammer. "I care for you as a friend—I care for you very much. But that does not mean I want you to go."

He thought for a moment, then said, "And I do not believe this is any reason for you to leave."

"Run away, you mean," Brynn said, her tone both careless and remorseful. "I suppose it doesn't solve anything and isn't the adult thing to do. But if I stay, won't things be awkward between us from now on?"

Splinter had to think hard about his answer. This had all taken him so off guard—not to mention nothing like this had ever happened to him before. No woman had ever expressed feelings for him. He never imagined this would happen—especially not now, not when he was what he was. It hardly seemed possible that someone could look at him and feel that way, see him in that light. The thought was flattering, but...

But while he cared for her deeply, he wouldn't call it love. He had to find the right words to let her know that without hurting her feelings, while at the same time convincing her to stay.

"I do not want you to go," he murmured. "There is nothing between us that would make it awkward if you stayed."

"Nothing?" Brynn pressed.

Splinter shook his head. He let his gaze lower to the ground, inches beneath his toes, and waited for Brynn to speak again. Instead, he heard the soft crunch of sand under her hard shoes as she moved forward again. She hovered over him, and when he looked up, she leaned forward, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him firmly. Right on the mouth, prominent front teeth and all.

When she let go he gaped at her like a fish, while she stepped back with a pleased smile. "See you tomorrow?"

Too stunned to speak, Splinter managed a small nod. With a spring in her step, Brynn turned and walked briskly out of the park, just as a rain as gentle as the evening mist began to fall.


	36. Confrontation

"You poor thing," Elizabeth cooed as she tucked her groaning husband in bed. "You're practically turning green."

That evening had been a calm, uneventful one—until the table was cleared and the dishes were washed. A short time later both Usagi and Obento started clutching their stomachs and making unhappy sounds. By bedtime they were both sweating heavily—Usagi especially. Elizabeth didn't understand it. All three of them had eaten the same thing yet she felt fine.

With a frown of dismay, she smoothed the blanket over her husband's chest. He felt almost hot to the touch, and he was sweating so much the fur on his face was starting to clump. "I'll make some tea," she decided, hoping it would help settle his stomach.

On the way to the kitchen she peeked in on Obento; he was already in bed and looked like he was sleeping soundly, to her relief. Most of the animals had gone quiet for the night too, though Hyena got up and followed at her heels as she went to the stove and started heating the kettle. His ears were flattened and he looked ruffled about something. "This feels wrong," he said lowly.

"It's just a little tummy upset," said Elizabeth. "Happens to the best of us."

"It's more than that," the massive dog insisted. "There's danger nearby, I can feel it. Something smells off, too."

The petite redhead went still, her hand on a jar of tea leaves. Hesitantly, she asked, "You don't...smell any rats, do you? Ones that don't belong here at the shelter?"

Knowing what she meant, Hyena's eyes hardened. "I don't know yet. Maybe you should go somewhere safe until I'm sure."

Elizabeth promptly turned the stove off and was ready to run to her husband—and then she remembered the condition he was in. She pictured herself running to their room and saying she was frightened even though she wasn't sure if there was anything to be frightened of, while he fumbled and staggered to get up to protect her, no doubt making whatever was wrong with him worse. She set her jaw.

"I refuse to run away scared," she said darkly. "Not from him, not from anyone—and definitely not in my own home. It's probably nothing anyway."

She felt braver after saying this, but Hyena flattened his ears again, silently conveying his unhappiness. Elizabeth put the kettle back on and went to sit at the table while she waited for the water to heat up. She was just settling in her seat, hands cupping her large belly, when she heard a scratching sound near her foot. Hyena bolted forward with a furious snarl. A small gray rat ran out from under the table with a squeak of terror.

Elizabeth felt a cold chill shoot through her. "No..."

"I'll hold him off," Hyena told her, a growl in his throat. "Go—run to Usagi."

The mother-to-be again pictured herself running away scared, and her husband being forced to get up and fight when he was in obvious pain. She didn't want him to battle like last time, not when he was like this. If he was ever hurt, especially because of her, she'd never be able to stand it. "He's in no shape to fight," she heard herself murmur. Her hands cupped her belly tighter. "I'll face him myself."

"Are you crazy?" the canine asked dryly.

"Probably."

Hyena looked at her dully for a long moment, until his broad shoulders sagged with a sigh. "Fine. I'll protect you no matter what."

Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Thanks."

Footsteps sounded outside the kitchen doorway—heavy ones. Teeth bared, Hyena slunk over and stood his ground in front of her, legs braced and head low. Elizabeth slowly pushed her chair back and stood. A few more rats poked their noses into the room, but when they saw Hyena they quickly took off. After they were gone a bulky figure appeared in their place.

Elizabeth didn't need sight to recognize him. She knew him all too well from the smell coming from him. Hyena grew even more tense, and she with him, one hand gripping the edge of the table as the other pressed protectively over her middle. Dark eyes studied her, trailing from her face to her stomach. His eyebrows lifted. "You've been busy since I last saw you."

The tone of his gravelly voice—the way it was both accusing and possessive—made her jaw clench. "If you think I somehow owe you something, you're mistaken," she said dangerously.

He went on like she hadn't spoken. "I would have come to check on you sooner, but I had business of my own to take care of."

As he spoke, he lifted one of his hands, fist clenched. Metal gleamed like silver in the light. It was Elizabeth's turn to lift an eyebrow; she had never seen them before, but she knew from the unpleasant times she'd touched or had been touched by them that both of his hands used to be flesh. "A little memento of my last fight with your little bunny friend," he said icily.

"I'll be sure to thank him for you," said Elizabeth, just as icily.

She could barely believe how bold—and careless—she was being. But to her surprise she wasn't at all afraid. Not of him. Not of anyone. Not ever again.

"It'll be a while before you can do that," said the Rat King, his tone turning smug.

The petite redhead felt another cold chill, and this time for a very different reason. "It was you," she accused. "You did something to him—Obento, too."

"Merely added a little something to their part of dinner to make sure you and I aren't disturbed."

"If you don't get out of here, I'll do more than disturb you," Hyena growled.

Elizabeth took her hand from her belly and laid it on his back. "You need to get out of here," she said, echoing the dog's words. "No matter what you do you'll never take me back down there. I'm not your queen and I want nothing to do with you or your world."

"You didn't seem to mind it at the time," the Rat King pointed out.

Anger bubbled up inside her. "You think I had a choice?" she snapped , struggling to keep her voice down. "I went blind right before you found me, or don't you remember? If it wasn't for that I would have done everything I could to get away the second I woke up that night."

The insane human frowned hard as he took a step closer. Hyena's hackles rose and he growled his most terrifying growl, but Elizabeth stroked him, coaxing him to calm down. When the Rat King tried to touch her face, to tilt her chin back, she didn't bother hiding her grimace at the feel of his clammy hand, or stop jerking away until he gave up.

"Was it really that bad?" he asked seriously.

"No—not at first," she allowed, thinking of how nice he had tried to make her room and all the gifts he'd showered her with. But that didn't make up for it. Not even close.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Yes," she said stonily.

For a moment he looked puzzled. But only for a moment. "That did seem to make you...distressed. Was it really that awful?"

" _Yes_ ," she said again, barely able to keep herself from shouting. "I don't care what kind of things you gave me, you had no right to _ever_ take that from me."

To Elizabeth's surprise, his expression actually softened. "I didn't mean for it to hurt."

"And that night you attacked me?"

"I was mad. I got carried away."

"You wanted to reclaim your property, you mean."

At her feet, Hyena let out a snort, so much like an angry bull. She'd heard enough, too. "It's time for you to leave. And don't even think about coming back."

Before either of them could say anything else, someone came stumbling up to stand in the doorway. Sides heaving as he panted and hand clutching his stomach, Usagi wobbled before leaning one shoulder on the frame. "Get away from her," he ordered, voice rasping.

The sight of him coming to her rescue even when he could barely stay on his feet made her eyes fill. "It's all right. He was just leaving."

Usagi's determination didn't escape the Rat King's notice, and neither did the affection in her teary eyes. She watched him put it together, eyes focusing on her round belly. " _Him_?"

"Yes. You have a problem with that?"

His disgust was plain, but there was something else in his eyes. Disappointment? Loneliness? He turned away before she got a good enough look. "I've heard enough. You're not fit to be my queen anymore."

He stormed off, a small herd of squeaking rats trailing after him. Usagi sank against the door frame in relief. "I would have done it if I had to, but I am glad he left without me needing to draw my sword."

Elizabeth doubted he had the strength to lift it. She hastily turned off the kettle as it started to whistle before rushing to him and helping him back into bed. Her face lined with worry as she tucked him in; he looked worse than he did a little while ago. His cheeks were red under his fur, and his eyes had turned glassy. "I don't know what he did to you," she murmured as she drew her hand over his cheek. "But I'm going to fix it."

Only when she dug out and dialed the number Dr. Morris gave her in case she had any questions or needed something, no one answered. It was after ten and Elizabeth had no idea where she could be at this hour...but she knew someone who might.

* * *

"So you really had a girlfriend?" asked Mondo.

Michelangelo sighed and took a long sip from the cup of soda in his hand. After slipping out of the lair, the two of them decided to skateboard for a few hours, then went up to grab some pizzas, and now they were roaming what was left of a street fair after it had closed down for the night. For the most part they talked about a little of everything, but Mondo kept nudging the conversation back to girls. "Isn't that a subject we're trying to avoid?" Michelangelo reminded him wearily.

"Hey, can't blame a lizard for being curious," said the mutant gecko as he twirled an acrylic shark tooth necklace someone dropped. "What was she? Alien? Mutant?"

"Which one?"

His friend paused and looked at him like he was trying to figure out if he was serious or not. "How many girlfriends have you had?"

"Two," the young reptile mumbled, deciding not to mention all the crushes he'd had over the years. "The one I just got over was human."

"Really? She must have been pretty special if she made you her main squeeze, even if it didn't last."

"She was," Michelangelo agreed with another sigh. "That's why it was hard getting over her. But I am now, so now all I gotta do is get over being alone."

Mondo made a scoffing sound and hopped up to walk the length of an iron bench before jumping off the other end. "You're not alone, pal. You've got me, your bros...what more could you want?"

The orange-clad ninja was silent as he finished the last of his soda, slurping down until the straw inhaled noisily at the bottom of the cup. What he wanted was someone to call his own, but he had to admit Mondo had a point. There was no reason for him to act alone and miserable when he had plenty of friends to keep him company, and plenty to keep him busy. He'd always been happy being single before and he could learn to be happy being single again. He liked his life the way it was. If the right girl was meant to come along one day, she would. No point in worrying about it.

Feeling better than he had in days, he pitched his empty cup and hurried to catch up with Mondo, who had wandered ahead of him. He'd just fallen in step beside him when his Turtle-com beeped. "Michelangelo here," he said as he pulled it out and opened it.

"Mikey?" said a very familiar voice. "Thank goodness, I thought I'd never get the hang of this thing."

"Oh, hi, Lizzie," he said, as his reptilian friend peered over his shoulder curiously. "I was just talking about you."

"Ohhh," Mondo said gleefully, "it's _her_. The ex."

He leaned on Michelangelo's shoulder so hard he stumbled; scowling, he elbowed him away. In the small screen Lizzie's face looked pale and worried despite the chuckle she gave. "I hope you were saying nice things about me."

"Naturally. Is everything cool?"

"I wish," sighed Lizzie. "It's been a crazy night over here and I really need to talk to Dr. Morris, but I can't get a hold of her. I thought maybe she was with you guys, or doing something with Rebecca."

The young turtle's heart sank. The mom-to-be didn't know that the only doctor in town who wouldn't report her pregnancy to the nearest news station or eager scientist was leaving the continent. It didn't seem fair for her to leave before the twins were born. "She's going home," he told her unhappily. "Her plane leaves first thing in the morning."

"What?" Lizzie cried. "This is an emergency!"

This time his heart dropped as a thought struck him. Was she...? She couldn't be—not tonight. It was too soon. But whatever was wrong had her ready to panic. "I'll call Splinter," he said quickly. "Maybe she forgot something in the lair and went back."

He kind of doubted the precise scientist forgot a thing, ever, but calling his old sensei seemed like a good idea right now. Lizzie thanked him and cut the connection, and he quickly contacted Splinter. "I just saw her," the aging rodent reported, sounding distracted. "And I have good news. She has decided to stay in New York."

Michelangelo sighed in relief. "That's great—Lizzie just called and said they're having some kind of emergency at the animal shelter. She wants the doc ASAP."

"I see," Splinter said soberly. "She has returned to her hotel, I believe. I will find her immediately and have her at the shelter as soon as I can."

"Thanks."

"What do you think's going on?" asked Mondo as Michelangelo put his Turtle-com away.

The young ninja shrugged. "Dunno."

"Maybe we should check it out ourselves," the energetic lizard suggested.

Michelangelo had to admit, he was pretty curious himself. Mounting their skateboards, the two of them kept to shadowed alleys as they made their way to the animal shelter. The light rain had stopped already and the front steps were almost dry as he mounted them and hurried to the door. There was no answer when he knocked, so the orange-clad reptile took a peek inside. There weren't any animals in sight, though he could hear them moving around and making noise in another part of the large building. "Anybody home?" he called.

Muffled voices came from somewhere in the back, and a second later Elizabeth came scurrying into the main room. She was dressed in her yukata and looked frazzled, bare feet slapping on the floor as she hurried over. "It's you," she said, sounding relieved. "You didn't have to come, but...I'm glad you did."

She gave him a quick hug before her eye fell on Mondo. "Who's your friend?"

He opened his mouth to answer—but before he had a chance her eyes suddenly lit with recognition. "Oh, wait, I remember. He's the one who mutated with the four of you."

Michelangelo flushed and closed his mouth. He didn't remember telling her that story, but obviously he had at some point.

"That's me," said Mondo, as he gave Lizzie that head to toe scrutiny he seemed to give every girl he came across. "And you..."

"Look pregnant," Lizzie supplied wryly. "I know."

Underneath the good-natured humor she was clearly worried, and she glanced over her shoulder after she spoke. "We stopped by in case there's anything we can do to help," Michelangelo told her. With a nervous laugh, he gesture vaguely at her large midsection. "For a second I thought maybe you were..."

"Oh. No, not for almost two more months. Though at this stage it probably looks like I should have delivered last week."

She smiled absently before looking over her shoulder again. A second later spiked heels clacked, and then Dr. Morris appeared in the doorway across the room. She peeled off a pair of latex gloves as she came over to join them. "Your suspicions were correct," she told Elizabeth grimly. "They were both poisoned."

Michelangelo gave a start. "What? Who poisoned who?"

"The Rat King," Lizzie said quietly. "He put something in Usagi and Obento's food."

"Wait—he was here?"

"Earlier tonight. Don't worry, he's gone now."

She turned to Dr. Morris with an anxious look. "They'll be all right, won't they?"

The slender doctor hesitated. "Obento will," she said. "He's going to feel pretty sick for the next few days as the toxins run their course, but afterward he'll be fine."

"And Usagi?"

Dr. Morris hesitated again. With a sigh, she pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes a moment. "I'm afraid he was given a much stronger dose. Even with an antitoxin, there's still risk of permanent damage."

Elizabeth looked shaken, though she held her emotions in check as she asked, "Do you have one?"

"Not on me," said Dr. Morris as she put her glasses back on. "But I can run to the lab and be back in about an hour. In the meantime, it's critical that he stays calm. Too much excitement would be detrimental right now. Possibly even fatal."

The lagamorph's wife turned pale as she nodded. She started to say something, then changed her mind and hurried out of the room. Dr. Morris headed for the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she called, before closing the door behind her.

Once both of them were gone the room filled with silence, and neither Michelangelo or Mondo felt like filling it with pointless chatter. The sense of unease in the shelter hung heavy in the air, like a low-sailing cloud. While the turtle nervously shifted from foot to foot, his friend absently gazed around the large room, checking out the old Japanese artifacts. The shark tooth necklace spun on the end of his finger with agitation.

Standing around in silence while a friend of his was in trouble was more than Michelangelo could stand, and before he could stop them his feet were in motion. "Where are you going?" Mondo asked in a whisper as he followed at his heels.

"He's my bud," Michelangelo whispered back. "I just want to check on him."

He tiptoed out of the main room and down the back hallway, stopping outside the only room whose door was partway open. Peeking inside, he saw Elizabeth kneeling next to a modern futon bed, tucking a thin blanket around her husband. Usagi didn't look so good. He was sweating so much he was undressed from the waist up (maybe from the waist down too, it was hard to tell) and he was breathing heavily and unevenly. There were dark rings under his eyes, and his eyes themselves looked funny.

With a brave smile, Elizabeth smoothed her hand over his forehead. "You'll be okay. Just rest. I'll take care of you."

There was a tiny quaver in her voice, and for a second her smile trembled. On the other hand, Usagi's tired expression was one of complete trust. He clearly wasn't afraid, or even worried. His love-filled eyes followed his wife as she got up and slipped out of the room.

As soon as she was in the hallway her entire body sagged, and she pressed her face in her hands as she visibly struggled not to break down. "If anything happens to him..."

Michelangelo quickly put his arms around her; she sank against him with a sniff. "It's okay," he soothed. "We'll make sure he stays calm till the doc gets back. Everything'll be fine."

His words were meant to reassure himself as much as her. He was used to his friends being in danger and having to rescue them, but this was different. This wasn't something ninja skills could fix. All he could do was wait, and worry, and hope his bud would be okay.

He held Elizabeth until her sniffles stopped, and then she stepped back with a shaky smile. "I'm being a lousy hostess," she joked weakly as she wiped her eyes. "Come on. I'll get you two something to drink."

Michelangelo started to say she didn't have to, but she was already hurrying off to the kitchen. He understand that she needed to distract herself right now, and so he and Mondo followed her and accepted the soda cans she handed them. She kept busy by making a cup of tea for herself.

"How are Raphael and Monalisa?" she asked, tone absent.

"Fine," said Michelangelo, just as absently. "They still haven't made any big decisions about the wedding yet, but they're happy."

"Glad to hear it."

She finished making her tea and sat down at the table. He and Mondo finished their sodas quickly; they crushed the cans and threw them away. As the young ninja was returning to the table, he felt his toes brush something wet. Curious, he looked down and saw a small puddle forming on the floor. It looked like water, so he knew he or Mondo wasn't responsible. He glanced at Lizzie and saw she was staring off into space. Her fingers were gripping her teacup so hard her knuckles had gone white.

Just then Hyena poked his head into the kitchen, right before the front door opened and closed. "I'm back," called Dr. Morris.

The three of them went quickly to the main room. The young scientist didn't waste time on pleasantries and went straight to the back of the shelter without another word. Elizabeth followed, with Hyena hovering close at her side. They all knew to stay out of the way and waited anxiously in the hallway while Dr. Morris went to work.

Except for a faint buzzing that sounded like an electric razor, the bedroom was silent for the next few minutes. When Dr. Morris emerged she closed the door behind her. "I gave him the antitoxin," she reported quietly, "and a little something that should help him sleep through the night. I'd like to say the worst is over but the next twenty-four hours are critical. He shouldn't even think about getting up before then, and he needs to avoid anything that might cause an adrenaline rush."

Elizabeth nodded mutely, cheeks pale. Dr. Morris studied her a moment, then said, "If it's all right with you, I'd like to stay here and monitor him until I'm sure he's out of danger."

The petite redhead quickly nodded. "Yes—please stay."

"We should probably go," said Michelangelo. He was still worried, but there wasn't much else he could do.

Mondo had already turned to leave, and the young ninja started to do the same. Then he noticed the look on Elizabeth's face. "What is it?"

Hands pressed to her belly, she said shakily, "Could you stay a little longer? I-I'd feel better if I had friends with me right now."

"Why?" he asked with a frown. "What's wrong?"

Lizzie let out a nervous laugh. "I don't think the twins heard me when I said they aren't due for another two months. They're coming now."


	37. Arrival

Elizabeth lay propped on the sofa in the sitting room at the very back of the shelter, as far away from her and Usagi's bedroom as she could get. Dr. Morris had moved the furniture in the room out of the way and was busy placing things she thought she'd need on a nearby table. Michelangelo and Mondo were hovering close by, looking as nervous and agitated as you'd expect two young males in this kind of situation to look. Mondo had about worried that necklace of his to pieces.

Hyena had parked himself in the doorway, acting as sentry to keep the other animals out of the room and out of the way. They clustered persistently behind him, chirping and chattering anxiously.

"Will she be okay?" asked a puppy.

"She looks awfully pale," observed a kitten.

"Nah, she looks red," disagreed a bird.

"She looks pale _and_ red," said a mouse.

"Silence," snarled Hyena. "Or the next thing you'll be wondering is how much longer you have to live after my teeth have punctured your throats."

The little ones squeaked in fear and went quiet. Elizabeth groaned as another contraction hit.

Brow furrowing, Dr. Morris came over and felt her midsection for a moment. "This is happening a bit early," she said, "but both of them have already turned. Delivering them now shouldn't cause any complications."

"Thank goodness," said Elizabeth with a wince. The pain subsided and she sank, panting, back against the cushions piled under her. Mondo was eyeing the mound of clean towels Dr. Morris had gathered, an uneasy look on his face.

"Shouldn't we get out of here?" he asked. "You know, before it gets...messy?"

Dr. Morris turned to give him a pert frown. "When it comes to childbirth, do you know what the difference between a boy and a man is?"

The mutant gecko looked confused. "Ummm, no. What?"

"Nothing, as far as I can tell. When I meet someone who doesn't look like he's going to faint at the mere mention of labor, I'm going to marry him."

Elizabeth started to laugh, then bit back a cry as the pain spiked again. "Usagi could handle it," she sighed as soon as she could talk again.

Her heart was thudding with excitement, but it was also stinging with pain. Her wonderful husband was missing this. She knew he would be devastated when he found out, but what else could she do? Knowing that his babies were on the way would undoubtedly get him excited—too excited. She couldn't take that chance.

It was so unfair it brought tears to her eyes. If the Rat King ever showed his face again...

She sniffled and pretended her tears were caused by her contractions. Dr. Morris checked her watch. "They seem to be getting a little closer together," she noted. "But you probably have hours before it's time to deliver."

Michelangelo actually went pale. "Hours?"

Dr. Morris pursed her lips in disapproval again, but Elizabeth wasn't about to chide him. She was having the same reaction. The pain came and went again, and while she was catching her breath, Splinter came into the room. Michelangelo looked up in surprise. "When did you get here?"

"He came with Dr. Morris," Elizabeth told him with a tired smile. "He's been keeping an eye on Obento."

"He is still asleep," the gentle rodent reported as he came over to the sofa. "I do not believe he will wake before morning."

Instead of looking relieved, Michelangelo was frowning. "If you're here, who's looking after Becky?"

Splinter turned sober. "Tonight took several unexpected turns. I decided to leave her be once she fell asleep but never meant to stay away so long."

The orange-clad turtle looked upset. "She has no idea the doc changed her mind about leaving. Do you realize how she's going to react when she wakes up all alone?"

The aging ninja master lowered his head, clearly remorseful. Michelangelo was already hurrying for the door. "I'm going to go make sure she's okay."

"Want me to come with?" asked Mondo.

"Nah, I won't be gone long. Stay here and keep an eye on Lizzie."

The mutant lizard looked like he felt funny staying with people he barely knew, but he did what he was told. Even though she understood Michelangelo's concern, she was glad Splinter was here right now. His fatherly presence was comforting.

For the next few minutes the four of them sat in silence, Elizabeth wincing against the cushions while the others made themselves comfortable on the floor, keeping close at hand. The petite redhead noticed Mondo kept flicking glances at Dr. Morris, his expression sly. "Guess this means you have to marry him," he suddenly remarked.

Dr. Morris gave a start. "Excuse me?"

"Him," the mutant gecko clarified, pointing at Splinter. "You said it yourself. First guy who doesn't faint around childbirth gets dragged to the altar. He's up close and personal and doesn't even look squeamish."

He had a point. Splinter looked like he always did: calm, cool, and collected. At least he did until a moment ago. Now he was reddening. Pulling her glasses off and pressing her face in her hand, Dr. Morris did the same. Elizabeth would have thought she'd shrug the cheeky remark off.

When the next contraction hit, she had to cover her mouth to muffle her cry of pain. Dr. Morris had commented earlier that yelling during labor was beneficial—it helped relieve the mother's tension and created pressure that often aided delivery. But Elizabeth couldn't yell. If Usagi heard he'd come running. She couldn't risk it.

"Ouch," she whimpered, sweat trickling down her temples. Dr. Morris sent Mondo to fetch a damp cloth. When he returned she blotted Elizabeth's face with it.

Michelangelo came back a few minutes later. "Becky's fine," he reported, taking a seat beside his reptilian friend. "Donatello's with her. Oh," he added, eyes shifting to Dr. Morris, "you owe her a bottle of milk and story time."

"Did she say that?" the pretty scientist asked.

"No, but I just did."

The doctor's cheeks darkened again. She cleared her throat and resumed blotting Elizabeth's face. "How much longer?" she asked weakly.

"At least another hour. Maybe two."

She lay there for over three. Plenty of time for her to worry about ruining the sofa once delivery actually began, and plenty of time for the young reptiles to fetch a shower curtain and arrange it under her. By the time she was settled again Elizabeth felt like she'd been in labor for days. To her it seemed like the pain was coming constantly now, yet through her foggy mind and the ringing in her ears it suddenly dawned on her how long her husband had been alone. "Someone needs to check on Usagi."

"It should be me," said Dr. Morris, though she was clearly hesitant about leaving.

"I'll be fine," Elizabeth said dully. "I'm going to be here for hours more, right?"

Wordlessly, Dr. Morris took a peek under the hem of the young mother's yukata before getting up and hurrying from the room. Splinter took over blotting her face with the cool, damp cloth. It seemed like only a few seconds later when another contraction hit. Only this time the pain didn't stop. She waited it out for minutes but it just kept going.

"Is it time now?" she gasped out as the pain spiked even sharper. "This means it's time now, right? I'd look myself, but..."

Splinter studied her a moment, then shot a look at the two reptiles sitting nearby. Taking his meaning, they both flushed and hid their eyes. With the utmost care, Splinter lifted the corner of her yukata and took a peek. Frowning, he lifted the corner higher.

In spite of the pain, Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows curiously. "What is it?"

"Part of a head, I believe. A grayish one—oh, and a short, pointed ear."

That was enough to convince her. "Okay," she said shakily, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Going to start pushing now. I can do this."

She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince: the others, or herself.

Splinter was already unfolding and placing out towels, as well as a pair of tiny blankets taken from the nursery. Elizabeth's heart went wild at the sight, already picturing the twins warm and snug in them. _This is it_ , she thought. _This is happening_.

"Okay," she said again as she braced herself. With a big intake of breath, she started pushing. The pain grew even worse, her ears buzzed and her head swam, her eyes clouded with tears, yet she kept pushing, and pushing—until all of a sudden the pain eased away, the pressure ebbing like a tide. She gratefully let herself relax and panted for breath, while Splinter worked at the opposite end of the sofa. A second later there was a tiny, pitiful cry.

Her pain forgotten, the young mother eagerly sat up as Splinter finished gently blotting one of her babies dry and wrapped him in a blanket. "You did very well," he told her as he placed her son in her anxious arms.

"Wasn't so bad," she decided.

Actual birth had taken a lot less time than she thought it would, and she didn't wonder why. Her firstborn was smaller than she had been imagining—and she somehow knew before looking him over that he was a he. The gentle crying stopped as soon as he was in her arms, and she settled back with a quiet laugh, the joy she was feeling too strong to stay inside.

"You can look now," said Splinter.

Elizabeth looked over and laughed again; Michelangelo and Mondo were sitting with spare throw pillows pressed to their faces. Mikey peeked cautiously over the top of his pillow—and dropped it in a hurry as he scooted closer. "He looks just like Usagi," he said, sounding impressed. "Only...bald."

"Of course he is, he's a baby bunny. He's still beautiful."

Instead of downy rabbit fur, her tiny son had skin that was the palest of grays, with the faintest blue tint around his large eyes. His nose was pink, and as she continued to cuddle him, running her fingers over his delicate cheeks, his eyes slowly opened. They were big and bright and blue. Exactly like his father's.

Tears of happiness flooding her eyes, Elizabeth sniffled and kissed his face. His furless skin felt impossibly soft—like velvet and silk. He was chubby and a little wrinkled and couldn't be more perfect. She was still studying him in amazement when Dr. Morris came back into the room. She stopped in surprise. "I was only gone five minutes."

"He was ready," Splinter said simply.

The pretty scientist came and knelt beside the sofa, where she gave the tiny bunny a look over. Elizabeth could tell she wanted to give him a more thorough examination but didn't take him away from her just yet. Instead she prodded her middle for a moment. "It shouldn't be much longer before the other one is here," she noted.

The petite redhead nodded, heart speeding again. While the doctor was unfolding more clean towels, Mikey suddenly edged closer and leaned over Elizabeth's shoulder. Her son blinked his big blue eyes. "You think he'll grow up to be as gnarly a samurai as his daddy?" the young turtle wondered.

Elizabeth felt herself beam. "I'm sure of it."

Grinning, Michelangelo reached over and touched one of his large fingers to her son's tiny fist. "Welcome to the team, little dude," he whispered.

Her eyes moistened again as she turned to smile at him, her heart warming with affection and gratitude. "Thank you for staying."

Smiling back, he laid his hand on her curls. "No prob."

He went back to sit next to Mondo, who, now that the anxiety of being exposed to childbirth for the first time was wearing off, was starting to look a little sleepy. Elizabeth wasn't feeling anxious anymore either. Just excited. She'd already done it once, she could do it again. And as contractions started to hit, she knew she would be doing it again very soon.

Dr. Morris took her son from her and handed him to Splinter for now. "I'd like to weigh and measure him later, once I have the proper tools with me," she said.

"We have a scale," Elizabeth told her with a pained grunt.

"Thank you, but I would prefer something sterile."

She checked her watch, noting that less than ten minutes had passed since her son was born when it was time for Elizabeth to start pushing again. Knowing what to expect now, she thought it was quicker and a little less painful the second time. Only a few pushes and then the doctor was cleaning her second child with a towel, another tiny cry briefly filling the air. Dr. Morris smiled as she wrapped the second blanket around her son's twin. "It's a girl," she announced.

Elizabeth sank back against the cushions, drained beyond words but too happy to care. She held out her arms expectantly and her daughter was placed in them. Like her brother, she stopped fussing once she was in her mother's arms and opened her eyes soon after. The sight made Elizabeth catch her breath. The large, clear orbs gazing up at her were as deep and green as her own.

Splinter was still holding her son; she shifted her daughter to the crook of her arm and held out the other. As he was carefully passing her daughter's twin to her, Michelangelo set his throw pillow down with a yawn. "It's been real, but I should probably get going."

"You sure?" Dr. Morris asked wryly. "You might have to carry your friend if you do."

All eyes turned to Mondo, who still had his face covered with a throw pillow. He was lying on the floor with his shoulder propped against the leg of a chair, and the muffled but distinct sound of snoring was coming from behind the pillow. Michelangelo covered another yawn. "You don't mind if we crash here?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Of course not. Here—use these."

She wanted to lie back and go to sleep anyway, so Splinter and Dr. Morris helped take the mound of cushions and pillows out from behind her. Michelangelo was soon curled up comfortably beside his snoring friend. Most of the animals had fallen asleep too, though the handful still awake were watching her and her babies closely.

"Can we talk now?" asked the puppy in a whisper.

"Keep it brief," Hyena said gruffly. He got up and disappeared down the hall.

"Congratulations," whispered the kitten.

"They're just beautiful," said a little bird. "We're so happy for you."

"Thank you," Elizabeth whispered back, heart warming.

Dr. Morris was busy laying out more pillows and a spare blanket she found. "I'll be staying for now too," she said, as she pulled her glasses and shoes off and made herself comfortable. "After all, someone needs to keep an eye on you, the twins, not to mention Usagi."

"And Obento," added Splinter, though he wasn't in the same danger Usagi was. Elizabeth's heart sank and she tried not to think about that. Not right now.

"It is an awfully full load," the gentle rodent went on. "I shall stay the night as well and help any way I can."

"Call Donatello and let him and Becky know," Michelangelo mumbled, already three-quarters asleep.

"I will," Splinter promised.

Dr. Morris smiled warmly as she settled back on her makeshift bed. "I'm glad you were here to help," she said.

Elizabeth glanced at her. Something about the scientist's tone suggested she was glad Splinter was here, period.

"She totally has a thing for him," whispered the bird as the animals finally left the doorway.

Hiding a smile, the young mother closed her eyes and fell blissfully asleep.


	38. Tied Together With Love

Splinter awoke to find himself in an unfamiliar place—and in an unfamiliar position. The grogginess of sleep quickly wore off and he remembered deciding to stay the night at the animal shelter after Miss Elizabeth gave birth. What he didn't remember was someone inviting themselves into his sleeping area, snuggling up against him and sharing his pillow, their arms around him.

That someone had her head on his shoulder, her hand lazily stroking his forehead, his ears. When Brynn noticed he was awake, she lifted her head with a smile, hair tangled around her sleep-flushed cheeks. "Good morning, handsome."

Such words made his face heat, and he mumbled good morning in return. The events of last night happened so quickly he had not yet had the chance to stop and reflect on what happened in the park. What conclusion Brynn had drawn from his words. He needed a chance to think, to come up with the right words to express as kindly as he could that a misunderstanding had taken place somehow. But now was not the time, nor was this the appropriate place.

It was later in the morning than he usually woke, but after a night like last night, he wasn't about to scold himself. Judging by how relaxed she looked, Brynn was in no hurry to move either. The closeness of her presence didn't make him as uncomfortable as he would have thought.

The rumbling snores coming from another part of the room told him that the two young reptiles present were still asleep. "How is Miss Elizabeth?" he asked quietly.

Brynn propped her head on her palm with a smile. "Like any new mother—exhausted but too happy to care. She woke up to feed the twins a little while ago but I'm pretty sure she's asleep again."

"And Usagi?"

"His fever has finally gone down, which is a good sign. He was awake the last time I went to check on him, but he was so out of it I don't think he knew where he was or what was going on. I don't want him moving around until at least tomorrow, so I gave him another sedative."

Splinter nodded, grateful that he seemed to be recovering so far. His eyes drifted over to the nearby sofa, where Miss Elizabeth was stretched out on her side, arm draped protectively over the twins. He hoped their father would be able to meet them soon.

"Has she decided on names yet?"

Brynn was absently fingering the edge of his kimono, up near his throat. "She mentioned the last time I was over to give her a checkup that Shannon was their favorite name for a girl and Seiki was their first pick for a boy, but I think she wants Usagi's okay before making any final decisions."

He nodded again, understanding. Her smile deepening, Brynn scooted closer, her hand drifting over his face. Her eyes gazed into his, so obviously full of warmth and affection it made his heart beat rapidly. Sensing what she was about to do, he said shyly, "Is this the best time and place for this?"

"Probably not, but everyone is asleep right now. It could be hours before we have another moment to ourselves."

And before he could say anything more she cupped the back of his head and touched her mouth to his. His heart sped up again, his skin warmed. So intimate of a touch was both frightening and thrilling, and all around wonderful. A thread of guilt coiled inside him, knowing that the two of them needed to have a long talk as soon as they had the chance, but there was no denying he enjoyed her affections.

She kept it brief, putting her head back on his shoulder and nuzzling his cheek afterward. She looked so content, so very happy. Like being this close to him was all she could ever want. Like _he_ was all she could ever want. It made him wish he felt more for her than just friendship—because he knew no one else was ever going to look at him this way again. It also made him worry about what might happen once they had the talk they needed to have. He didn't want to end up hurting her, or driving her away.

Unaware of his troubled thoughts, Brynn kissed his cheek before sitting up and smoothing her hair. Splinter found himself missing her warmth.

After securing her hair back, the pretty scientist slid her glasses on—and stopped with a smirk. Puzzled, Splinter sat up and followed her gaze. Over on the sofa Elizabeth had her head up; she quickly put it down when she realized they were looking at her and pretended to be studying the twins. Splinter felt his ears warm, wondering how long she had been watching the two of them. A quick glance around the room showed that everyone else was still asleep, to his relief.

Brynn got to her feet, though she didn't bother putting on her shoes. In another part of the shelter Splinter heard soft footsteps; Obento already up and moving around. "I'm going to make some tea," said Brynn, before walking quietly out of the room.

Splinter thought for a moment, then took his Turtle-com out. He had told Donatello all that was happening before going to sleep but thought it best to keep him updated.

* * *

Donatello was busy working in his lab when Rebecca came running in. When he came home last night she was asleep, and after she woke up she'd tearfully explained to him what was going on. Thankfully Michelangelo came in a little while later and said that Brynn wasn't leaving New York after all. This happy news put the miserable mutant kitten back on cloud nine, and she hadn't stopped smiling since. Looking at her now you'd never know she'd been upset. She practically skipped her way over to him, her eyes shining the way they always did after she'd finished another painting.

"Here," she said, proudly holding up a watercolor in a square frame. It was a pretty scene of a sunny forest, with little animals around a stream and mountains in the background. Like all of Becky's paintings, it was simplistic but detailed, and a little better than her last.

"I made it for you," the white feline went on, as she went over to one of the bare lab walls. "This place needs more color."

Donatello couldn't deny it was a little drab in here, and he smiled as he watched her hunt for just the right spot. She was still at it when his Turtle-com beeped; he put his tools down and answered it. "Donatello here," he greeted.

"Good morning, my son," said Splinter. "Is everything well at home?"

"Uh-huh," said the young scientist, with a glance at Rebecca. "How are things over there?"

"Miss Elizabeth and her children are fine," reported his old teacher, "and Obento has recovered enough to try a little tea and broth."

"And Usagi?"

"He is not completely out of danger yet, but as long as he remains undisturbed he should heal."

"That's good to know. Keep me posted, okay?"

"I will. Watch over Rebecca for me, please."

Hearing her name, the kitten in question finished hanging the picture and scurried over as Donatello put his Turtle-com away. "Is Papa coming home?" she asked eagerly.

"He's a little busy right now, but he'll be back later," he told her.

Rebecca drooped in disappointment. He knew he wasn't the one she usually went to for company, but with her 'papa' and other big brothers out at the moment, he was all she had. "Tell you what," he said. "Why don't we go to that park you love so much?"

Instead of cheering up, the white kitten frowned at the thought. "But Papa says I can't go there during the day anymore."

Donatello could understand why Splinter had made that decision, and why he didn't want to introduce the concept of disguises—and the idea that Rebecca needed to keep herself hidden from society—to the innocent-minded mutant just yet, but he didn't think it would hurt if they did it slowly and subtly.

"He's just worried you aren't ready to be around that many people," he told her, "but as long as you stay close to me it'll be okay."

Rebecca nodded eagerly.

"And why don't you wear that new sweater Brynn got for you? The one with the hood?"

She quickly ran off to her room and was soon back, pink sweater pulled over her blouse and hood tugged up over her pointed ears. With the face painting kiosk they had in the park, a cat nose and whiskers wouldn't get a second glance. Grinning, he hurried to grab a disguise of his own before taking the eager kitten's hand and leading her topside.

* * *

Elizabeth couldn't take her eyes off her babies. She still couldn't believe how tiny and perfect they were, or that they were here with her so soon. She was still tired and sore from last night, but for the moment she was so full of joy it overshadowed everything else. The only thing marring that joy was that she had to keep them here in the back room for now instead of moving them to the nursery, which was too close to her and Usagi's bedroom. If the twins fussed he would hear for sure—and that was not how she wanted him to find out.

She hated not being able to run to him, to tell him their babies were here. She especially hated the thought that her precious husband might not ever see the faces of his children. It was a thought too horrible for words and she would push it away the second it tried to work its way into her sleepy mind.

Across the room, Splinter was finishing his conversation with Donatello. Michelangelo and Mondo were just starting to wake up, stretching and yawning loudly and popping joints like the young boys they were. Mikey licked his mouth with a grimace. "My tongue feels fuzzy."

Elizabeth snickered and didn't wonder why; there was a fluffy kitten napping on his shoulder. She mewled in complaint and jumped down as he sat up.

Mondo cracked his back with another yawn. "I need a good boarding session to get these kinks out," he decided.

"I'm up for that," Mikey said, brightening. "And then I could seriously go for some pizza."

"On second thought, we should do that first."

"Good idea. Pizza, then skateboarding, then more pizza."

"Now you're talking."

Grinning, Mondo scurried out of the room. Elizabeth propped her head on her palm with a smirk. "See?" she said to her daughter, who was sleepily blinking her big green eyes. "Those are typical teenage boys. Better get used to it."

Mikey turned to look at the two of them, his smirk matching hers. It quickly faded and a bashful look touched his face. "If you, uh, don't need anything else, I guess I'll be going now."

The petite redhead sat up, moving carefully so she didn't jostle her babies. "I'll be fine. Thank you again for staying."

He shrugged, still looking bashful. "Anytime."

He hovered by the sofa, looking like he had something else to say. Finally, he mumbled, "I think we work out good as friends."

Elizabeth smiled warmly. "Me too."

She held out her arms, and he smiled back and gave her a quick hug before heading out. The kitten flicked her tail in annoyance at losing her napping spot. "I'm hungry," she sniffed.

"Don't look at me," Elizabeth said crisply as she lay back down. "I'm off duty until further notice."

Hearing her but not realizing who she was talking to, Splinter came over with a smile. "Is there anything you need?" he asked.

"Some breakfast would be nice," she decided.

She was trying to think of how she could make staying in here until Usagi recovered more comfortable, especially for her babies. The obvious solution came to her just as Dr. Morris hurried back into the room. She had a hard frown on her face.

Elizabeth sat up quickly—so quickly her head spun. "What is it?" she asked in alarm.

"Nothing serious," the pretty biochemist told her, putting her thumping heart at ease. "I just put a call to the lab here to let them know I won't be leaving after all. They were more than happy to tell me I can come back to work. As in right now."

Elizabeth's relief was short-lived. "Is that a good idea? I mean..."

Dr. Morris was obviously torn. Obento was fine and sitting up with his tea in the kitchen, but Usagi still needed care. "I would feel a lot better if I stayed and monitored him myself," she said unhappily. "But as long as no one wakes him it should be all right. I'll come back and check on him again just as soon as I can."

As she was putting her shoes on, Splinter told her, "I won't be leaving yet. I will do my best to look after everyone."

Dr. Morris paused to fish a hand in the pocket of her blouse and pulled out a business card. "Call me if anything happens or his fever starts rising again. I'll break every speed law in the books getting back here."

Splinter chuckled as he accepted the card. "I hope that won't be necessary."

Her eyes were still full of doubt as she continued to hesitate. They were also full of longing, and as she finally tore herself away, her eyes stayed on Splinter as she walked out of the room.

Things like that never went unnoticed around here. "See?" said the kitten smugly as she scampered out into the hallway. "I _told_ you she's mad-crazy about him."

"I called it first," said the bird from last night.

"Are they going to get married?" wondered a mouse.

"Totally," said the kitten.

As they continued to chatter noisily outside the doorway, Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "All right, you guys, break it up."

After she spoke she felt eyes on her, and she turned her head to see Splinter studying her, a bemused look on his face. "May I ask who you are talking to?"

Elizabeth went quiet for a moment, realizing that after she told Leonardo about her unique ability he hadn't passed the information on. Touched, she briefly described what she could do.

"That is a remarkable gift," said Splinter. "No doubt it has aided you many times in your life. You must be proud."

Elizabeth nodded and looked away. He was right; she _was_ proud. She was proud she was able to call so many unique creatures her friends. She wasn't physically strong, but thanks to those friends and her special ability she was able to find a different kind of strength. She was proud not only of her ability, but of herself. She was happy both with her life and who she had become.

As she was blinking her moist eyes to clear them there was a knock on the front door. Strangely, Hyena didn't start barking. Splinter looked at her, still reclining on the sofa, then drifted his eyes over the twins. "I will get it," he decided with a smile.

Elizabeth didn't tell him no, though she hoped it was someone they knew—someone who wouldn't be shocked when a giant rat answered the door. She didn't have to worry; a minute later Leonardo came into the room, wearing a big smile and carrying a stuffed turtle doll. "I heard the news," he grinned.

The new mom laughed. "You didn't have to bring anything," she told him. "You've already gotten them plenty of toys."

Leonardo continued to grin as he came over to the sofa. "Always room for one more," he reasoned.

He placed the plush toy gently next to her sleeping babies, and she couldn't help smiling at its silly grin, or the plastic balloon it was holding that read 'happy birthday!' The young turtle straightened up, his eyes on the twins. He didn't say anything, but Elizabeth saw the look in his eyes. The admiration, the longing, the helpless want.

The look passed and he smiled again. "How's Usagi doing?"

"Better, I think, but no one has checked on him in a few minutes."

She started to edge away from her babies as she spoke, fully intending on doing exactly that. Leonardo took her hand and helped her to her feet. Her legs felt rubbery and her head swam for a moment, but she soon had her bearings. "Anything I can do?" asked Leonardo as he let go of her hand.

"Yes: can you please bring the twins' cradle in here?"

He hurried off, and Elizabeth checked on her babies before turning for the door. Splinter was just coming back into the room with a breakfast tray in his hands. As he set it on a nearby table and laid out a napkin, Elizabeth felt her heart swell with affection. Splinter was so good to everyone around him, and without even thinking about it. His caring and kindness just came naturally.

It made her glad she had him as a friend, and she smiled her thanks as she left the room. She moved quietly across the shelter and down the hallway, until she was standing outside her own bedroom. She knew that Dr. Morris always shut the door after she looked in on Usagi, but Elizabeth found it standing about a foot or so open. Curious, she peeked inside.

Usagi was in bed, covers pulled to his chin. He looked like he was sound asleep—and he looked infinitely better than he did last night. The dark rings under his eyes were gone, he was breathing normally, and his soft white fur was sweat-free.

And lying next to the bed, head on the rabbit's arm, was Hyena. His dark eyes were watching Usagi intently, though they shifted briefly to Elizabeth, acknowledging her presence. He didn't say anything, and neither did she. She just looked at the scene in front of her and felt her eyes moisten. Vowing silently to thank him somehow later, she left as quietly as she came and went back to her babies.


	39. Conflicted

"And then," Michelangelo read, "the Papa bear growled, 'Someone's been sitting in my chair!'"

Rebecca laughed and moved closer; the part of the story where he created different voices for the bear family was always her favorite. "'Someone's been sitting in _my_ chair,' said the Mama bear," he went on, adopting a high-pitched voice. Rebecca grinned and put her head on his shoulder.

"And the Baby bear cried, 'Someone's been sitting in my chair and they've broken it all to pieces!'"

The white kitten laughed again, and Michelangelo grinned and opened his mouth to continue, but just then Mondo came into the room. He had a can of soda in hand and a bemused expression on his face as he looked at the two of them curled up on the couch together. "This is what you do with your spare time?"

"We had a busy night," Michelangelo said simply. "Besides, Becky needs pampering."

Mondo's eyes lit with interest. He quickly gulped down the rest of his soda before folding his arms and leaning on the back of the couch with a sly grin. "I can help with that," he said casually. "Pampering Becky, I mean."

The feline in question looked perfectly comfortable right where she was. "I like how big brother Mikey reads best," she said.

"Yeah?" said Mondo, grin growing slier. "I can read too, y'know. I bet I know stories big brother Mikey doesn't."

Rebecca merely glanced at him, but Michelangelo put the storybook down and scowled at his best friend. "Can't you take a hint?"

"Not if I can help it."

Scowling harder, the irritated turtle tugged a throw pillow out from under him and threw it. It caught Mondo in the face so hard he stumbled back a step. When the red-eyed gecko shoved the pillow aside and glared daggers at him, Michelangelo knew he'd started something. Becky knew it too; she dove out of the way with a squeak as Mondo leaped over the back of the couch and tackled him.

Ordinarily a friendly scuffle was good exercise, but Mondo was genuinely annoyed, and Michelangelo was out of practice. With Raphael rarely home and Donatello holed up in his lab, the three of them weren't sparring like they should. Within moments the agile lizard and that annoying tail of his had him pinned to the couch cushions.

"Whaddya say now?" Mondo asked casually.

"I say you need to stop making eyes at my baby sister," the unhappy turtle grumbled.

"Look at it this way: if she's the baby sister and we get together, that'll about make you and me family."

Michelangelo stared at him a moment—and then grabbed another throw pillow and bounced it off the stubborn gecko's broad nose. "We'll talk about it after she grows up. Come back in twenty years."

With a hard scowl, Mondo retreated to the other end of the couch. Arms folded, the two sulked in silence for several minutes. But it wasn't long before Michelangelo started fidgeting in boredom. He glanced sidelong at his friend. "Wanna surf the sewers?"

Mondo's expression cleared. "Sure."

* * *

When Usagi opened his eyes and beheld his own bedroom, touched with gentle light and hinting of fragrance from a warm spring day, it could have been any ordinary morning. But even before he fully focused on his surroundings he knew this wasn't true. All his instincts told him that something had happened—something important. Something special.

His recollections of recent events were fuzzy at best. He had a vague memory of realizing the Rat King was invading their home, and rushing to protect his Elizabeth...but after that things went blank. There were only blurry hints and dreamlike flashes, and images of worried faces and a murmur of voices.

The shelter was quiet now, with only the typical sounds of the animals somewhere in the distance. Everything seemed normal, but he felt a little funny, his body heavy like he had slept too long. He had a moment of dizziness as he lifted his head. "Elizabeth?"

Their bedroom was empty—except for a sudden movement over by the dresser. The shadowy form of Hyena rose to his feet and went over to nudge the door open with his nose. He disappeared out into the hall, leaving Usagi alone.

Frowning in puzzlement, the lagomorph sat up in bed slowly, but he didn't feel dizzy again. As the blanket fell away he saw that he was dressed in light sleep clothes. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but the feeling that something had transpired while he slept persisted. Thinking that maybe he had battled the Rat King but didn't remember, he looked himself over; he found a curious patch of shaved fur on the inside of his right arm.

Before he could wonder about it further he heard footsteps in the hall. A second later the door opened wider and Elizabeth came hurrying into the room. Her face was aglow with joy and her eyes shone as she rushed to the bedside and put her arms around him. "You're okay," she whispered as she repeatedly kissed his cheek. "Everything's going to be okay."

Usagi frowned again. "My memories of the last few hours are unclear; was I not okay?"

His wife pulled back and cupped his face, her eyes combing over his features as her fingers stroked his cheeks, like she couldn't look at him enough. "It's been more than a few hours," she said softly. "You've been asleep for over two days."

His frown deepened. "But why...?"

"It's all right," Elizabeth went on quickly. "Dr. Morris says you're out of danger. You're going to be fine."

"Was I sick?" Usagi asked dryly.

His wife hesitated, her hand continuing to stroke his cheek as her eyes searched his. "You're safe now," she finally said, "but...you were poisoned. The Rat King poisoned you."

Her words brought a spike of fear—not for himself, but for her. "The last thing I clearly remember is seeing him in our kitchen. Did he...?"

"He left," said Elizabeth, with conviction. "And he won't be coming back."

Her mouth lifted in a smile as she drew her hand over his ears. "And you'll be fine," she said again. "Though you should probably take it slow for a while. Don't move around a lot or do anything that'll get you too excited."

"I will try," he said...although something in his wife's eyes suggested she had news that would very much excite him.

She pulled her hand away and sat back on her heels, and he waited while she fidgeted for a moment. "How do you feel?" she asked.

"Not completely like myself," Usagi admitted, "but not awful."

Elizabeth chewed her lip a moment. "I have something important to tell you," she said hesitantly. "I just hope it isn't too much for you right now."

The furred samurai assessed himself again. He felt vaguely lightheaded and there was a hint of a funny taste in his mouth, but other than that he felt fine. Even a little hungry. "I am sure I can handle it," he said confidently.

His petite wife didn't look so positive. "Just promise me you won't let yourself get worked up," she said.

"I am a samurai," Usagi said calmly as Elizabeth got up and went to the door. "I can control myself in any situation."

The lovely redhead still didn't seem convinced, but she left the room and was gone for several minutes. When she came back her footsteps moved slowly down the hall—and when she appeared in the doorway he thought his heart would burst clear out of his chest.

Cradled carefully in each arm were two tiny beings wrapped in matching cream blankets. He saw two pairs of stubby rabbit ears, two pink noses, two pairs of wide, alert eyes. Elizabeth gave a soft laugh as she drew closer. "Easy now," she told him. "Just breathe."

Usagi nodded mutely, though he was fairly certain he had forgotten how to breathe. His wife sat down beside him, her eyes never leaving him as he took in this most unexpected turn of events. He knew the twins' due date and the time that had passed while he slept certainly wasn't it. "When...?"

"That same night. It might have been the stress that made it happen so early, but everything turned out all right in the end."

Her face glowing with love, she lowered her gaze to the tiny babies cradled in her arms. Usagi was still in shock, yet when she moved closer, one arm shifting out to him, he responded without thought. Guided by a newly awakened instinct, he took the little being like he had already done it countless times, settling back as he cradled him to his chest. He gazed in awe at the bright blue eyes that blinked up at him. "Is this our Seiki?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Uh-huh," said his wife softly, adjusting her hold on their son's twin. "And this is our Shannon."

Usagi looked over at his daughter, marveling at how green her eyes were. Just like her mother's.

Seiki fidgeted inside his blanket and captured his full attention again. He was everything Usagi had been hoping for and more—too perfect for words. His heart filled with so much joy and love his eyes turned moist, his vision clouding as he reached down to plant a kiss on his son's downy forehead. He didn't believe he had ever known such happiness, such a feeling of completeness.

Yet even as his happiness continued to mount he suddenly felt a pang. He pictured his precious wife going through this incomparable experience without him and his heart dropped. He cradled Seiki closer. "I am sorry I missed their birth," he murmured.

Elizabeth frowned at him. "Don't you dare feel guilty," she said sternly. "It was in no way your fault that you weren't there. I won't have you blaming yourself."

Usagi went quiet for a moment. "I do not feel guilty, exactly," he allowed. "Merely saddened that I was not there to see it."

His wife's expression softened. "I know. I wish you had been there, too. But," she said, eyes lowering to Shannon, "what's done is done."

She rocked their baby girl, and the furred samurai tried to boost his drooping spirits. "Were you alone?" he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Dr. Morris and Splinter came and helped me deliver them. And..."

She trailed off and glanced over her shoulder; in another part of the shelter he heard the animals making the excited sounds they always did when they were getting their morning feeding. He heard Obento's voice, and another spoke to him in return, cheerful and familiar. Elizabeth smiled.

"Leonardo came over the morning after the twins were born. He never left."

Usagi recalled all the wistful looks on the reptilian ninja's face over the last few months whenever he was around expectant Elizabeth and didn't wonder why. He was glad she had been cared for in his absence and tried to set his disappointment aside. It was best if he didn't dwell on what he had missed and instead focus on the here and now, and all that lay ahead of them.

And as his wife settled against his side, their heads meeting as they watched their bright-eyed children together, he knew what the future held was beautiful.

* * *

Aside from occasional sibling-like bickering between Michelangelo and Mondo Gecko, the days following the twins' birth were peaceful. Donatello either worked in his laboratory or traveled to the surface, searching for more ways than ever with which he could broaden his hungry mind. Leonardo called earlier that day to say that Usagi had awoken and appeared to be on his way to a full recovery.

"That is wonderful news," Splinter had told him.

His former student then reported he would be on his way home soon—right after Lotus returned from her latest stakeout. The aging rodent understood his reluctance to leave and again felt glad that young Rebecca was now in his life. As he meditated that afternoon he was distantly aware of her working on another painting in her room, quietly humming to herself the way she always did as she formed each brush stroke with care. The gentle sound seemed to weave easily into the rush of his own deep breathing, creating a pleasant background as he focused his thoughts.

And then he heard a loud click.

Startled, he opened his eyes and beheld Brynn standing in his doorway, one shoulder leaning casually against the curved frame as she held a camera to her eye. She lowered it with a grin. "Sorry—it's been ages since I've picked this up and I couldn't resist making you my first subject."

"That is quite all right," Splinter told her, the eager glint in her eye making him chuckle.

As she stepped into his room, her feet bare, he took a closer look at the camera in her hands. He wasn't very familiar with them but it looked like an older model, at least ten years old but very well cared for. It currently had a large zoom lens attached to it, with numerous knobs, gears, and other settings along the sides, and it looked like there were several more lenses inside the sizable camera bag slung over her shoulder.

It obviously brought her great joy to resume her old hobby, and as she took a seat on one of the cushions on the floor, he asked, "What made you change your mind?"

Brynn looked up from adjusting a setting and smiled warmly. "You," she said. "You were right. Why should I give up something I enjoy just because of what someone might think?"

Grinning again, she lifted the viewfinder to her eye, though she didn't snap another picture. She merely twisted the dial at the end of the lens, bringing him into focus. Her expression turned soft as she lowered the camera again. "Knowing you has done me a lot of good. You've inspired me to be a better person—or to at least let go of some of the masks I used to wear."

Her words reminded him of some of the stranger behavior she had displayed since they met. "Is that why you...?"

"Acted funny whenever you were nice to me?" she supplied wryly. "I was scared. I had just been hurt but could tell I was falling for you, and I was hoping if I discouraged you from being too kind I could fight it off."

She chuckled. "It didn't work."

Splinter smiled, his ears warming a little. Looking at her now a mask indeed seemed to have slipped. In the past even when she was at her most relaxed there was something in her eyes that suggested she had a guard up. Now there was an openness to her face, a sense of calmness, without a hint of her usual frosty, no-nonsense demeanor. She looked at peace both with herself and with the world.

She also looked like a woman deeply in love. There was so much happiness and affection in her eyes she all but glowed as she put her camera and case aside. Her gaze never leaving him, she smoothed her long hair off her shoulder as she scooted closer. Sensing her intentions, Splinter shrank back. "I think—"

Brynn smiled and tapped a finger to his mouth, clearly uninterested in talking anymore. But Splinter knew they needed to talk, and soon.

But he found it was difficult to speak when a woman was kissing you with passion. It was difficult to speak when she was holding you so tight you suddenly opened your eyes and found yourself looking at the ceiling even though you did not remember lying back. And it was even harder for him to speak once the passionate kisses stopped and she cuddled her head on his shoulder, because he did not want to bring a moment that clearly brought her such bliss to an end.

Later, he told himself, as he rested one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hair. Later.


	40. A Family Complete

Leonardo took one last look around the kitchen. "Anything else I can do?" he asked, though he was pretty sure he'd already done everything at the shelter he possibly could.

Elizabeth, who was relaxing at the kitchen table, looked up with a smile. Usagi still needed to stay in bed for now, so she'd left Seiki with him while she cuddled Shannon. "No," said the happy mother, eyes lowering to her daughter again. "You've already done more than enough."

"Nothing's too much for a friend."

The petite redhead looked up again, clearly touched. "Thank you for everything," she said.

Leonardo gave a nod before letting out a sigh. "I really ought to get home."

Yet he balked at the door, eyes on Shannon. She watched him in return, her large green eyes round and unblinking. Elizabeth smiled knowingly. "You can babysit anytime you want, you know."

The young ninja perked up. "Really?"

"Really," said Elizabeth as she stood. "Seiki too. You're always welcome here—and when they're a little older you can bring them to your apartment."

Leonardo imagined the twins crawling around his and Lotus' place and couldn't help grinning. They'd have to hide all the breakables. "Maybe when they start growing baby fuzz?"

Elizabeth laughed and cradled her daughter close. "Maybe. Usagi said that shouldn't take very long."

"Well, if you ever need me, just call." Turning serious, he added, "And I don't mean just for babysitting."

Smile softening, the young girl shifted her baby to the crook of one arm and hugged him with the other. "I know. I'm so lucky to have friends like you."

"And we're always here for you, anytime you need us."

* * *

Splinter awoke slowly to find himself in a position not unlike the one he found himself in several mornings ago. Lying together on the not necessarily comfortable tatami floor, near the incense that had since gone out, Brynn had her arms around him, and he her. After their brief conversation and not so brief moment of tenderness, the lovely scientist was so content she had drifted off to sleep. It wasn't long before he had followed.

They had been alone, but as he opened his eyes and lifted his head, he discovered that a third party had joined them while they dreamed. Rebecca was lying curled up at his side, her head on his free shoulder. Like Brynn, who was snuggled at his other side, head still tucked under his chin, she was asleep. And seeing the two of them together like this, so close to each other and so close to him, it created a stirring inside him. A feeling so strong and insistent he wondered how he had not realized it sooner.

This was what he wanted. As a life without his sons grew ever closer, this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his days. He was used to being needed and greatly looked forward to teaching and raising Rebecca for years to come. He would never have to be alone—not even after she, too, was grown and gone.

With that in mind, his gaze shifted to the young woman sleeping at his other side, so close and content. So relaxed and full of trust, the curve of her cheeks flushed pink from sleep. It was very easy to imagine waking up to many more mornings in the future like this—mornings and nights spent in the loving comfort of another's arms.

He thought he made a mistake that night in the park, but now he realized his only mistake was doubting his own feelings. Doubting that he could ever find this kind of happiness. It was all here, laid out before him. And even though part of him still had that disbelief, that sense that someone so lovely and with so much to offer should be looking for someone younger and far less unusual than he...in the end it was her choice to make. And she had chosen him.

Heart swelling with affection—affection he should have realized sooner he felt—he placed his hand on her pale hair, fingers curling into the silky tresses. Brynn stirred, her gray eyes blinking open as she lifted her head with a sleepy smile. "Hey," she said softly, mindful of the still sleeping Rebecca.

She drew her hand over his head, her fingers caressing his ears. As her eyes studied his face they shone with unmasked tenderness and love. The thought that such a strong feeling was directed solely at him still left him in wonder, but this time he flushed with affection of his own instead of embarrassment. The feeling grew as Brynn shifted her gaze to sweet Rebecca, the motherly care she felt plain on her face.

And as she brushed back Rebecca's thick hair and gently kissed her forehead, there was a silent promise there as well. An apology spoken without words and an iron vow to never leave again. Not even for a moment.

When her attention returned to him, Splinter asked quietly, "Why me?"

If the question surprised her, it didn't show. Brynn merely smiled and said, "Because you're kind. And you're sweet, and gentle, and thoughtful—and all those other things that started making me nervous when I was around you. But I know you understand that, and that you respect me. I couldn't ask for anything more."

His heart swelling again, Splinter entwined his fingers with hers. "I could say the same of you."

This time she looked surprised, her mouth closing and her eyebrows lifting. "I mean it," he went on. "You have also shown yourself to be thoughtful and caring, and though you may hide it when it is time to get down to business, I know you have the kindest of hearts. And I love you for that. I love you."

For a moment Brynn only stared at him. Then her eyes started to moisten and she quickly tucked her face against his shoulder. "There, there, my dear," Splinter told her, stroking her hair. "Don't cry."

"I'm not," she mumbled, sniffling.

Chuckling, he continued stroking her hair. Beside him, Rebecca suddenly stirred to life. She sat up with a toothy yawn and a smile, then smacked her lips. "I'm hungry," she decided, hopping up. "Time for tuna fish sandwiches."

She scurried out of the room, and Brynn, after wiping her eyes, sat up with a shy smile. "You know," said Splinter as he sat up as well, "she realized before any of us that you and I belong together."

The pretty scientist let out a chuckle. "I suppose she did."

From the kitchen came the sound of cabinets being opened and closed and plates being set out. "Mind if I stay for lunch?" asked Brynn.

"Not at all."

After pausing, she grinned and asked, "Mind if I stay forever?"

Though he chuckled lightly, Splinter felt a flutter of nerves as he got up and took hold of his walking stick. "Let us take this one step at a time, shall we?"

* * *

"Come on, you guys, this way!"

Instead of quickening his pace, Raphael merely chuckled and continued to move leisurely down the main aisle of the mall, his arm around his fiancée. She moved just as casually, in no hurry to get anywhere or do anything other than enjoy a relaxing afternoon out. With the two of them obscured by loose jackets and hoods, no one gave them a second look.

Henry, on the other hand, was straining like an excited puppy on a leash. "Would you two _come on_?" he said dramatically. "If you go any slower the arcade'll be closed by the time we get there!"

"The place doesn't close for hours," said his big sister, with a roll of her eyes. "Go on if you can't wait, we'll meet you there."

Henry took off like a shot; Raphael grinned and drew his future wife closer. The two of them had been more inseparable than ever the last few days, going together to see the new twins and doing a little casual shopping. Monalisa had quietly picked out a few items that may or may not have been in preparation for their future wedding, though she still hadn't decided anything definite yet.

And as if the mall itself was reading his mind, they were suddenly walking by a large bridal shop. There were frothy white gowns on elegant mannequins in the main window, along with several signs announcing sales and bargains, and a handful of props like a fake wedding cake and plastic bouquets.

Monalisa paused, so he did too, eyes on the gown closest to them. "You, uh, want to go in and check it out?" he asked.

His fiancée glanced at the nearby entrance, strains of classical music audible above the din of mall chatter. She smiled and shook her head. "Mom and I are the same size, so I'm going to wear her gown."

Raphael looked at her. "Did you ask her about that?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh. We've already looked into hiring a seamstress to do a few small alterations. I want my gown to have fewer bows and more flowers on the skirt."

With a soft smile and her eyes on a display at the back, she added, "I'd also like to pick out my own veil."

"Soon?" wondered Raphael.

His future bride turned to grin at him. "If soon isn't too soon for you."

"You kidding?" he exclaimed.

Monalisa laughed and took his hand, tugging him into motion again. He put his arm around her as they headed toward the arcade. "I was thinking we could get married later this summer," the slender mutant went on. "I want a nice, quiet seaside wedding. And I don't want to go far for our honeymoon...maybe we could rent a cottage by the beach?"

"Sounds like you've got it all worked out," Raphael noted, his stomach suddenly fluttering with butterflies.

His fiancée smiled and put her head on his shoulder. "I've been thinking about it a lot lately. But if anything isn't okay with you, just say so. We'll work it out."

"You kidding?" he repeated. "I'd yell vows while jumping off a bridge if you asked me to."

Monalisa laughed again. "Fortunately I'm not that demanding. All I want is something small, with all my loved ones around me."

That was all he wanted too, and since Leonardo didn't go on a honeymoon, he hadn't thought about taking one either. Spending a week or two all alone with the one he loved sounded like a plan to him. He continued to picture it in his mind as they entered the arcade, where they soon found Henry blasting away at a screen full of bug-eyed aliens with a plastic zapper gun.

"Hey, squirt," Raphael called as the hyper youth punched in a high score, "you looking forward to being my little brother?"

Henry almost dropped the zapper gun as he whirled around. "I'm getting tired of waiting," he shot back. "You're going to make up your minds soon, right? _Right_?"

Raphael pretended to think it over. "Is a summer wedding soon enough for you?"

Henry went blank for an instant—and then, with a squeal that was a little too young for a boy who was almost eleven, launched himself into the mutant turtle's arms. While Raphael struggled to keep a grip on him, Henry quivered with excitement while chattering a mile a minute. "Is it gonna be a big wedding? Are the other turtles gonna come? Hey, if you'll be my new brother that means they'll be my brothers too! I'll be a genuine ninja turtle-in-law and that means you _have_ to give me one of those turtle-talkie things, and—"

"You wanna be our ring bearer?" asked Raphael.

The young boy stopped and went blank again, and for a second Raphael thought that'd be too pedestrian for someone so energetic, but then his face burst into a grin. "Yeah! That would be cool!"

With a grin of her own, Monalisa gave them both a tight hug. "The wedding is still months away," she said, as she stepped back and her future husband set Henry down. "We have plenty of time to plan all the details."

"And then he'll be family," said Henry, hugging the mutant turtle again. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I, kiddo," Raphael chuckled. "Neither can I."


	41. An Unwelcome Reunion

As he sat on the back steps that led to the shelter's garden, Seiki cradled safely in his arms, Usagi could scarcely believe the twins were already a month old. Their fine, downy coats of white fur had already grown in, impossibly soft and a joy to cuddle, and their large eyes were more watchful and alert than ever. Seiki was awake, his wide blue eyes on the sky as a pair of birds kept darting back and forth overhead.

Elizabeth was sitting a few feet away from the dirt path that wove away from the back steps and into the garden itself. Settled comfortably on the grass, she had Shannon bundled in a pink blanket and was softly crooning a lullaby as she rocked her. The birds swooped overhead again, making her look up with a laugh as they chirped something.

"What did they say?" Usagi wondered.

His wife laughed again. "That you have 'that silly smile' on your face, so you must be feeling happy," she teased.

"I am," Usagi agreed, chuckling. "I could not be happier."

With a loving smile, Elizabeth stood and came over to sit beside him. After adjusting her hold on Shannon, she softly kissed his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder with a happy sigh. Usagi shifted Seiki to the crook of one arm so he could place the other around his wife. His eyes continued to follow the birds still playing in the sky; they darted by one final time before flying away. The silence that fell was so peaceful he couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment when his ears picked up the sound of footsteps behind them.

As if sensing he was interrupting a special moment, Obento's voice was soft as he spoke. "Forgive the intrusion," he said, "but you have a visitor."

They exchanged knowing glances, both of them thinking the same thing. One of their friends had stopped by to spoil the twins with more gifts—most likely Leonardo. But when they went to greet their guest awaiting in the kitchen, they found Raphael instead. "I need your help again," the red-clad turtle said after Elizabeth brought him a refreshment from the refrigerator.

"Let me guess," the young girl said with a smirk, "more shopping?"

"Right the first time."

"And I don't suppose your fiancée is helping this time either...?"

Raphael shook his head. "Her parents are basically covering all the expense, so she's doing most of her shopping with her mom."

The young reptile had sent out the invitations to his wedding just recently, and even though it wouldn't take place for a while yet, there was still plenty of shopping to do in the meantime. "Sounds to me like everything is covered," Elizabeth commented, as Usagi sat down at the kitchen table with the twins cradled in each arm.

"Mostly," Raphael agreed. "I just need one thing."

"Oh?"

"My, um, tux. I need four of them, actually."

"I see. But aren't you and your brothers pretty good at clothes shopping?"

"We know costumes. Y'know...cheap stuff. Hitting some swanky boutique downtown isn't really our thing."

"I'd think Leonardo would have a little experience with that by now," said Elizabeth, referring to his wife's upscale shopping habits with a twinkle in her eye.

This won her a pitiful, puppy dog-eyed look. "Oh, all right," she finally relented, though Usagi could tell she was only feigning exasperation. "And I assume you have no idea what sort of gowns the bridesmaids will be wearing?"

The blank stare she got in return said it all. "I might have known," Elizabeth lamented with a sigh. "Behold the modern-day man."

Grinning, she turned to kiss her husband goodbye, while Raphael rolled his eyes. "Maybe the displaced Feudal samurai would like to come with us," he suggested sardonically.

"No thank you," said Usagi, relaxing further in his seat with a chuckle. "I believe I will stay here and enjoy being a father."

"How about you?" he heard Elizabeth ask as the two headed out the front door, grin plain in her voice. "How many kids do you plan on having?"

"Kids?" was Raphael's shrill response.

Chuckling again, Usagi settled down to enjoy an afternoon alone with the twins.

* * *

It was a warm, sunny afternoon, and Michelangelo wanted to spend it topside, preferably skateboarding at a nearby construction site he knew would be empty today. Mondo wanted to stay underground and catch a few sewer waves. And Rebecca decided today was a good day to put on disguises and spend a few hours at her favorite park. Like always, spoiling his baby sister won out.

The place had plenty to keep them all entertained, at least, and while he was busy getting some cotton candy, Rebecca befriended an elderly dude who only visited the park when the weather was nice. After chitchatting for a while about how much she reminded him of his granddaughter, he left to meet an old buddy of his he usually came here to play chess with, leaving Becky in charge of watching the chess board. Mondo quickly grew bored and suggested they play a few matches while they waited—an idea he soon regretted.

"Checkmate," Rebecca said sweetly.

"Aww, man," the mutant lizard groaned, "I can't believe you beat me _again_."

"Becky's getting crazy-smart," Michelangelo stated proudly. "Didn't I tell you?"

"Yes—too many times."

Presently the chess dude and his bud came back, snacks in hand, so the three of them said goodbye and wandered to another part of the park. "I want to ride the carousel again," said Becky, a skip in her step as they moved down the winding path.

"Carousels are for babies," groused Mondo.

"Told you she's still just a kitten," the turtle beside him said, tone smug.

Mondo ignored him, while Becky skipped on ahead, turning a corner in the path and disappearing behind a group of trees. A second later she let out a happy sound. "Big brother Raphie!"

Michelangelo quickened his pace and soon turned the corner to find the rambunctious kitten hugging their red-clad brother tightly. Elizabeth was standing on the path with them and watching in amusement. "Figured I'd find you here," said Raphael after Becky let go. "Our tux rentals are all taken care of."

"You picked them out without the rest of us? How will we know if they even fit?"

"Uh, because there's barely a centimeter difference between the four of us?"

Michelangelo grinned. "I was kidding, dude."

"Never mind the outfits," cut in Mondo, "what kind of food are you catering?"

"He doesn't know," answered Elizabeth, her smile wry. "Trust me, I've been asking him those kind of questions all day."

Raphael squirmed in embarrassment. "I told you, Mona is planning almost everything with her mom."

"Still, not knowing much of anything about your own wedding? For shame."

"A male is a male is a male," Becky suddenly put in, sounding like she was parroting something she heard her 'mama' say, mimicking her frosty tone and everything.

"True," Lizzie agreed, nodding solemnly. "Very true."

Raphael was rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, "we all know you married the most perfect bunny ever."

"I wasn't trying to say that," she protested...though her grin strongly suggested that was what she was thinking.

The playful banter probably would have continued, but all of a sudden Elizabeth froze, mouth partway open and eyes wide. Frowning, Michelangelo followed her gaze over his shoulder—and turned around with a hard scowl. Something in his gut tightened.

Coming down the path toward them was the jerk he caught threatening Elizabeth—and got her fired from the aquarium. Instinctively he edged closer to her, his eyes on the dark-haired figure still coming forward. Noticing that things had gone quiet, Raphael followed his and Lizzie's stares curiously. "Who's that?" he wondered.

"His name's Eric," Elizabeth said quietly. "We used to work at the aquarium together, before..."

She trailed off. Raphael's eyes narrowed with understanding. "Oh, _that_ guy. Want me to punch him for you?"

The petite redhead let out a laugh and, surprisingly, shook off the tension in her small frame. "Thank you, but no," she said, standing tall. "He's nobody I'm afraid of anymore. He can't hurt me."

Encouraged by her confident words, Michelangelo started to relax—and then his gaze fell on the small girl Eric had his arm around. Protective tension shot through him again. Behind him, he heard Raphael make a strange sound in his throat. "Irma?"

The two of them had stopped in the middle of the path, having spotted them by now, both wearing looks of surprise and recognition. But while the petite brunette flashed a smile, Eric was scowling hard, his annoyance plain. Irma didn't seem to notice. "Hi, guys," she greeted brightly. "Long time."

"Uh-huh," said Michelangelo dully, his eyes more on Eric than her. "We, uh, haven't heard much from you since the whole, you know...station exploding thing happened."

"Eh, I'm over it," she said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Working as a waitress is a lot more fun—I get to meet so many cute guys."

As she spoke, she beamed up at the individual that still had his arm around her and squeezed his hand, apparently oblivious of the dark look on his face. "You know these freaks?" he asked, not bothering to hide his disgust.

"Friends," Irma corrected with a frown.

"Friends who have a lot of catching up to do," Raphael put in pointedly.

Catching his meaning, Michelangelo started to take a step forward, hoping he could coax Irma away without a lot of hassle—so they could warn her. But Eric jerked back before he could think of anything to say. "Let's go," he said flatly.

"Aww, but we just got here! And besides, I want to—"

Eric pulled at her again, cutting her off. Elizabeth quickly darted forward. "Listen, I know you and I don't know each other, but—"

"Are you _still_ at it?" her nemesis barked. "I dumped you months ago—get over it already!"

Elizabeth jerked back like she'd been slapped. " _What_?"

"See?" said Eric, ignoring her as he turned his attention to Irma. "This is that crazy girl I was telling you about. If she wasn't so obsessive and needy we'd still be dating, but she just can't figure that out."

If Raphael hadn't held him back, Michelangelo would have pounded him clear into the pavement. Before Lizzie could sputter out anything else, Eric whirled away and was gone, pulling Irma along with him.

Sighing heavily, Elizabeth turned back to the others. "Of all the lousy, unbelievable..."

Michelangelo was shaking his head. "I'd love to know how _this_ happened."

"I'd like to know how we're going to convince her to get rid of him," Raphael put in dryly. "You know how Irma is."

That was exactly what he was worried about. But no matter how hard it was to convince her, they needed to find her and let her know that Eric was bad news, and fast.


	42. Not A Fairytale

"As much as I love everyone, I do enjoy having the place to ourselves," Brynn remarked coyly.

Splinter found he couldn't disagree. Each of his special children apparently had other plans for the day and he'd not seen or heard from any of them for hours, which allowed he and Brynn to relax together in his room and be as romantic as they pleased. "More tea, my dear?"

"Please."

He refilled her cup, then set the teapot aside and settled down with his own cup. The lair was blissfully quiet, with only the sounds of them sipping tea between exchanging pleasant chatter breaking the silence. Now that a relationship had officially begun between them, Splinter felt it was important for Brynn to know all there was to know about him, and so, during moments such as this, he made sure to share his past with her. He shared all of it: good times and bad times, failures and triumphs, pleasant memories and bitter ones.

In return, Brynn talked of her own past. He knew now that she was an only child, and that she lost both her parents to an accident nearly ten years ago. Her interest in science had been present her whole life and she was forever curious of how things worked, and why something was the way it was. She was happiest when she was involved in something that allowed her to be creative—which reminded him that he rarely saw her without her camera case these days.

She had brought it with her today as well, though it was set aside for now, along with her shoes. Her teacup was also set aside as she turned to him with a smile. "I don't believe I mentioned it yet," she began, "but I made arrangements to transfer here permanently. Even if I change positions or labs I don't plan to leave this city again."

"I am glad to hear it," Splinter said softly.

Still smiling, Brynn moved closer and drew her hand over his cheek. For a moment he thought she was about to kiss him, but instead she took her hand away. "It's been a month already," she murmured.

She didn't elaborate, but she didn't need to. He knew she was referring to how much time had passed since their relationship began. It had been a wonderful time full of tender hugs, warm kisses and softly spoken words. He could already feel their love deepening the more they were together, the more they learned about each other. But he could tell by the question now in her eyes that she was wondering how long it would be before anyone else knew of that love.

The only one who had witnessed a moment of closeness between them was Rebecca, on that tender morning a month ago. But it appeared she was still too innocent to comprehend that something had changed between them, as her perception of their relationship hadn't changed. In her eyes they were still the same mama and papa—and he knew that learning how close they had become would only bring her joy.

He couldn't say the same of his sons. No doubt they would be surprised—shocked—by the news. He didn't imagine, however, they would find the news upsetting...excepts perhaps for one.

Brynn must have had the same thought, for even though the question remained in her eyes as she sat back and resumed sipping her tea, she didn't press the matter. But Splinter knew it was better to reveal the truth sooner rather than later.

His tea finished, the dark-furred rodent let his eyes wander from her, aware of the unspoken question still hovering in the air but not wanting to disturb the pleasantness of the afternoon quite yet. His dark eyes came to rest on the low table nearby, where he had absently placed the photography book Brynn gave him so many weeks ago. As they had already done time and again, the pages had flipped open on their own, like recalling a fond memory, and settled on the image near the center of the book.

Curious now, Brynn followed his gaze and, with a knowing smile that reminded him she was even more familiar with the image than he was, scooted closer and studied the photograph of the trio of young girls seated beside the pond. "I take it you like this one?"

"It is my favorite," he admitted shyly. "I have grown particularly fond of the center model."

Chuckling, the slender scientist sat back again. "I was wondering if you'd notice. Which way do you like me better: stiff clothes and neat-as-a-pin hair or ribbons and skirts and hair flying in the wind?"

"I love you as you are now," Splinter replied honestly. "Time has done nothing to change you, except, perhaps, to make you grow even more lovely than you were then."

Unsurprisingly, when she reached to lay her hand on his face again, she followed the touch with a firm kiss. It was the kind of moment he would prefer to last, but no sooner did he close his eyes and draw her into his arms, his ears picked up voices in the distance. Brynn heard them too; as they came closer she pulled away with a quiet sigh. A moment later the owners of the voices came tramping into the nearby living room, close enough now to hear what they were saying.

"It's really upsetting," said a female voice he recognized as Miss Elizabeth's, tinged faintly with distortion that told him she was speaking through a Turtle-com. "I hoped I was done with that jerk forever."

"Me too," said Michelangelo, sounding equally unhappy, "but don't worry. We're ninjas, remember? We'll find her, no problem."

"Yeah," Mondo Gecko chimed in, "we also know how to read the phone book."

When he entered the living room, Splinter found the two reptiles playfully shoving each other. Rebecca skipped over happily and gave her 'mama' a hug before scampering off to her room. "Has something happened?" Splinter asked the other two energetic youths.

After giving his close friend one last shove, Michelangelo described their afternoon at the park, frowning as he concluded with their reunion with Irma.

"Was she well?" asked Splinter, though he already sensed it was this surprise meeting that was the source of their apparent distress.

"Kind of. She seemed happy enough, but she's started dating that creep who used to harass Lizzie when she worked at the aquarium."

No further words were needed; the dilemma was already clear. They all knew how their young friend was when she became fixated on a man. She didn't handle rejection well either.

"No offense to Irma, but she doesn't seem like that jerk's type," Michelangelo was mumbling to himself.

"What sort of type is she?" Brynn wondered.

"Ummm...the boy-crazy, desperate type?"

"That's what I was afraid of."

"Ah, don't worry," Mondo Gecko told her, "we'll find her and set her straight."

"Are you even going?" wondered Michelangelo.

"Nope! I wouldn't go if you asked me."

This triggered another playful scuffle. Chuckling, Brynn turned from the hyper pair and smiled at him. "Speaking of going, I really ought to get home and prepare for work," she said, tone apologetic.

"I understand," said Splinter, though his heart still sank at the thought of her leaving.

Smile softening, she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He could tell by the way she didn't let go, and by the quiet look in her eyes as her gaze lingered on his face, that the unspoken question was still on her mind. Part of him did not wish for anything to change, at least not yet. But he knew it was better for everyone to learn straight from them than by accident, so he gave a small nod.

Brynn responded by reaching out and holding him tight. It wasn't a lengthy embrace, and the kiss she bestowed on his cheek was casual. "Say goodnight to Rebecca for me, all right?"

He promised that he would, and she left, leaving a pair of suddenly quiet reptiles staring after her. Slowly, Michelangelo's gaze moved to his former teacher. "Uh, is there something you'd like to tell us, dude?"

* * *

After saying goodbye to the others and leaving the park, Raphael went to see Monalisa. He had been preoccupied by the scene that just played out, but once he tracked down his fiancée and gathered her in his arms, he quickly forgot about everything else. After sharing a lengthy kiss, the two snuggled happily on the living room couch together.

"All the tuxes are rented," he informed her while casually drifting his fingertips up and down her arm. "How was your day?"

"I'm having trouble deciding something, actually," his bride-to-be said with a frown, reaching over to pick up a slip of paper from the coffee table. Written on it was a list of names—a very short list of names. Lotus, Lizzie, and Dr. Morris. Raphael quickly figured out that she was trying to come up with a list of bridesmaids. He didn't ask why she didn't try to get in touch with any of her old friends from college.

"You only need three, right?" he asked, thinking of how he only had two groomsmen and one best man himself.

"Yes, but I don't really know Brynn all that well, and I'm not sure who to ask to be my maid of honor."

Raphael couldn't really picture Lotus taking the job. "I'm sure Lizzie would say yes if you asked her."

Monalisa gave a nod, looking like she'd come to the same conclusion. "She'll be matron of honor, though."

"Um, right," he said, pretending like he knew the difference.

"How'd you decide on Leonardo for best man so easily?"

"Flipped a coin."

"Figures."

Snickering, he was just pulling her playfully into his arms when the front door banged open. "Check out it," Henry said excitedly as he ran into the room. "The pillow for the rings is ready."

The future ring bearer proudly displayed the red satin pillow trimmed with creamy lace and and white ribbons. "Looks great, kiddo," Raphael said approvingly, ruffling his hair. "Now all we need to do is find you a date for the wedding."

The ten-year-old bulged his eyes out at him; Monalisa laughed. "We could use a flower girl," she said, and added another name to the list.

"I'm _not_ holding hands," Henry grumbled before fleeing the room.

"Don't worry," Raphael told his future wife, "I promise I won't be squeamish about holding your hand at our wedding."

The female reptile laughed again and put her head on his shoulder. "I sure hope you'll be up to more than that," she said wryly.

* * *

Though he was in disguise, Michelangelo still checked to make sure the street was clear before darting around the side of a small, rundown-looking apartment building. Elizabeth followed at his heels and didn't comment on his choice of sneaking in through a side door, or about his decision to sift through the files in the landlord's office to find Irma's apartment number—so they wouldn't have to knock on every door they came across.

When he told her that he'd found where Irma was living Elizabeth immediately insisted on going with. He knew she felt a little personally involved thanks to Eric, but it was because there was a good chance they'd run into that dark-haired jerk before this was over that he felt nervous about having her along. Still, she marched ahead bravely and knocked soundly when they found the right apartment.

"I'm glad it wasn't harder to find her," Lizzie commented lowly as a voice inside called, "Just a minute."

Michelangelo nodded mutely and decided not to mention that he didn't find her name in the phone book until this morning because he'd completely forgotten to look. Finding out that his old sensei had a girlfriend made him forget a lot of things.

"Hi, guys," Irma greeted in surprise when she opened the door. "How'd you find me?"

"Small town," Michelangelo cracked. "Mind if we come in?"

"Sure, I was just baking cookies."

She ushered them into a shoebox-sized apartment and an even smaller kitchen—which meant the smell of cookies baking in the oven filled every corner of the room. His nose twitched and mouth watered in eager anticipation. The two of them took a seat at the round kitchen table while Irma flitted around the room, opening and closing cabinets and grabbing ingredients.

"We, uh, didn't really get a chance to catch up yesterday," he began, feeling awkward and unsure of where to start.

The petite brunette shrugged. "There's not much to tell," she said, taking a steaming tray of cookies out of the oven. "I moved here shortly after I got my new job, and it's been the usual daily grind ever since."

"When did you meet Eric?" asked Elizabeth, cutting the chatter short and getting right to the point.

Irma expression turned dreamy. "About a month ago. He dropped by the diner one afternoon and it was love at first sight."

Sighing with obvious bliss, she set the tray on a rack to cool. Elizabeth was frowning hard. "Eric Blaine doesn't know the meaning of the word love."

"He told me you'd probably say something like that."

The slender redhead bristled but plunged ahead. "Whatever he's told you about me isn't true. He hates me because I refused to ever go out with him. He's nothing but a liar and a cheater—no one should go out with him."

"He said you'd say that, too."

With a weary sigh, Lizzie looked at Michelangelo for help. "She's telling the truth, dudette," he said quietly. "When Lizzie and I first met, he—"

He had been about to describe that unpleasant afternoon at the aquarium when he found Eric pinning Elizabeth in a corner, but he never got to finish. Just then the front door swung open and the rude jerk himself swaggered in. "Hey, babe," he greeted, tone pleasant enough. "How's..."

He stopped short when he saw who else was in the kitchen. Michelangelo got up with a scowl, a look Eric mirrored. "What the heck are _they_ doing here?"

"Just visiting," Irma said easily. "Want a cookie?"

"No, I want them out of here," Eric said sullenly. "And why are you baking things anyway? Just go out and buy them."

"I _like_ baking," said his girlfriend crisply. "And these two can stay for as long as they want."

"And how are we all going to fit? This place is smaller than a can of sardines. How come you don't get something bigger?"

"Because I can't afford it," said Irma, her calmness finally giving way to irritation.

"Can't afford it?" Eric echoed dryly. "What about that lottery you won last month?"

The petite brunette was so surprised she burst out laughing. "Me? Win the lottery? Eric, darling, if I'd won the lottery, I wouldn't be here. I'd be on a one-way trip to the Bahamas."

The surly figure stared at her darkly now, while Michelangelo felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. It was all too clear to him now how these two had ended up together, and all too obvious where their "relationship" was heading.

"Wait a minute. Aren't you Irma Leslie? The girl I read about in the paper?"

"No," said Irma, sounding confused. "I'm Irma Langinstein."

Growling and muttering under his breath, Eric slapped his own forehead. "Of all the dumb, idiotic..."

"It's _your_ mistake, dude," Michelangelo pointed out hotly.

For once the big jerk didn't have a surly remark ready. Without a word he stormed out of the apartment, not bothering to close the door behind him. Before he or Lizzie could react, Irma had chased after him with plaintive cries of "don't go!" and "come back, my love!"

"Should we go after her?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.

"Nah," the young ninja sighed. "She'll be back in a minute."

As predicted, she came back shortly...in tears.

"And I thought everything was going so well," she sniffled, as Elizabeth quickly got up to put a comforting arm around her. "But I guess I should've known better. Romantic things just don't happen to me."

She broke down and sobbed, while Michelangelo stood by the table feeling awkward. "Go on," Lizzie told him as she ran a comforting hand over the other girl's back. "I'll stay with her."

"Thanks," he told her, relieved that she could tell this was one of those situations that needed a woman's touch. "I'll come check on you two later, okay?"

Smiling sadly, he attempted to say goodbye for now to his sobbing friend. "Don't worry, dudette. Everything will turn out all right in the end. You'll see."


	43. Holding On Forever

When she got home later that day, Elizabeth felt sadder than she had in a long time. She didn't think it was possible, but she was pretty sure she'd finally met someone who was lonelier than she herself used to be. It was such a comfort to now to be able to step into a place that was more her home than anywhere else she'd ever lived and know there were dozens who would be glad she was back.

She barely finished closing the front door when a pair of mice Obento had taken in a few days ago came scampering up to greet her. They were followed closely by Hyena, who was the only one she'd told where she was going and why. "How did it go?"

"Good and bad, I suppose. He won't be bothering her anymore, but now she's heartbroken."

She started to say more, but just then Usagi joined them and she quickly closed her mouth. He had a smile on his face and Seiki in his arms; Elizabeth hurried over and took their son into her own arms, so she could cuddle him...and because she was hoping the sight would dull her husband's annoyance when he found out what she'd been up to today. "Hey, sweetie," she cooed, bouncing Seiki against her shoulder. "Did you miss Mommy?"

" _I_ missed you," Usagi put in. "Where have you been?"

"Ummm..."

Usagi had never met Eric himself, but she'd told him all about the rotten things he'd done to her in the past. Which was why she didn't mention what happened yesterday, and why, after she finally admitted where she'd disappeared to this afternoon, he was unsurprisingly displeased. "You should have told me," he scolded, without force. "And you shouldn't have gone alone."

"I wasn't alone," she ventured meekly. "Michelangelo was with me."

Usagi breathed a sigh and looked at her wordlessly for a moment. "Was this the first time you encountered him since he cost you your job?"

She nodded and absently rocked Seiki. "Don't worry—if I ever run into him again you'll be the first to know. Promise."

"Do you think you will run into him again?"

"I sure hope not. But it seems he really is my arch nemesis. No matter how hard I try I just can't get rid of him."

Sighing again, Usagi drifted closer and rested his soft hand on her cheek. "Understand that I am not angry with you. I am merely worried about your safety when I am not around to protect you."

But as much as they'd both like to be, Elizabeth knew they couldn't be together every second of the day. "I'm open to suggestions."

Smiling suddenly like he'd been hoping she'd say something like that, her husband moved his hand and placed it on the handle of the ever-present katana near his hip. "I suggest," he said lowly, "that the time has come for me to teach you how to protect yourself."

* * *

Donatello spent most of the day in his lab...though he didn't accomplish much other than randomly moving equipment and tools around and making a racket. But right now it was easier to hide out in here and pretend he was busy than to hang out in the lair and listen to Michelangelo bombard Splinter with questions. Blissfully unaware of what once transpired between him and Brynn, his hyperactive brother had pounced on him the second he came home yesterday while hollering, "Guess what?!"

Instead of announcing something predictable, like a nearby pizza parlor now delivering anywhere or something, Michelangelo had told him some news that genuinely took him by surprise. And now he just felt strange and needed some time to himself to sort it out. Finding out that Splinter was dating was weird enough by itself, but that he was dating Brynn?

He was happy being alone and didn't regret how things had turned out, but...still.

While he was in the middle of sifting through his toolbox, he heard someone enter the room. Someone who walked so softly he barely noticed. Steeling himself, Donatello turned around. Both hands resting on his walking stick and an uncertain look in his eyes, Splinter studied him for a moment. "Are you angry with me?"

"No," the young scientist said quickly. "Brynn and I agreed we're better off as friends and I'm fine with that. It's just a little weird, that's all."

He didn't think Splinter would appreciate it if he mentioned that it would be weird no matter who he was dating, so instead he said, "But even though I like being single, this kind of forces me to remember that I could have had something else. Plus it proves she really meant what she said to me."

And it meant that her feelings for his former master were just as sincere. Because as weird as it was? He still wanted Splinter to be happy. The ever-patient rodent deserved someone who genuinely cared about him.

"I'll get over it," he mumbled, feeling awkward. "I'm happy for you two. Really."

Splinter looked relieved. "Thank you, my son. I feel better knowing I have your blessing."

Awkwardness growing, Donatello nodded and turned back to his tools. But despite how odd it felt to be having this conversation, he was glad they did. And he was glad that, no matter how much it changed, this would always be his family.

* * *

"Well? How do I look?"

Grinning, Leonardo looked over at Raphael and decided not to mention that, aside from his red cummerbund, their tuxedos were exactly the same. He decided not to mention that he looked almost numb with nerves, either. "Not bad," he said mildly. "How do _I_ look?"

"Gorgeous," Lotus proclaimed, coming up and slipping an arm around him. "Black is definitely a good color on you."

"Really?"

Still grinning, he adjusted a cufflink before putting his arm around his wife's shoulders and turning to look out over the decorated terrace they were standing on. Ornate white benches were lined up in rows on the expanse of gray and pink brick, facing the front end where a white arch covered in red and pink roses was placed. The raised terrace was fenced in by a low stone rail, and surrounding them below was a sandy white beach, complete with waves lapping gently in the distance. Above the terrace, white cloths were draped from narrow poles, adding to the already breezy scene.

You couldn't ask for a nicer setting for a wedding. It made Leonardo a little jealous, knowing that his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law were actually going on a honeymoon afterward, right here on the beach. He hadn't mentioned it to her yet, but he was already thinking of ways he could spoil Lotus on their first anniversary.

It was almost time for the ceremony to start and they were standing by with the rest of the wedding party. Everyone who came to his own wedding was here now, along with Monalisa's family and their friends from the animal shelter. Mondo Gecko was here too, hovering close to Michelangelo and looking around with interest. Leonardo watched him for a moment and noticed that he seemed the most interested in all the girls who had shown up.

Smirking suddenly, Mondo elbowed his best friend. "Hey—check out Lizzie."

Michelangelo glanced over like he didn't really care, but Leonardo could tell the orange-clad ninja thought his former girlfriend looked particularly pretty. Her striking red hair was pulled up in a braid coiled around her head, with soft tendrils left loose to frame her face. The pearl gray bridesmaid gown she was wearing was flattering against her fair skin, and she had a pretty locket watch hanging around her neck. Unaware she was being observed, she was over by where her husband was sitting and was busy fussing over the twins.

Leonardo turned back to Lotus. "You look nice, too," he told her lovingly.

The bridesmaid's gowns were simple but pretty, with full knee-length skirts, spaghetti straps and sweetheart necklines. Lotus had dressed her look up with glittering jewelry and a beaded chopstick that was holding up her hair. The satin of the gown shimmered as she placed her head on his shoulder with a smile.

Elizabeth checked her locket watch as she rejoined them. "It's almost time," she noted.

Raphael mumbled something with a mechanical nod and went without being told to wait under the arch. "Relax," Donatello called after him teasingly.

Splinter was up front too, since he was the one performing the ceremony. Dr. Morris, dressed in the same gown as Lotus and Elizabeth, was currently hovering over him and straightening the front of his silk kimono. It felt a little funny, watching someone shower his former teacher with affection, but Leonardo couldn't complain. He didn't think he had ever seen Splinter so happy.

All of a sudden Mondo elbowed Michelangelo so hard the mutant turtle stumbled. "Who is _that_?"

Considering how the hormonal lizard ogled every girl he laid eyes on, Leonardo didn't give that someone else seemed to have sparked his attention much thought. Michelangelo didn't seem to care much either, scowling and straightening his tux before bothering to look where his pal was staring. His brow furrowed curiously. "Dunno," he said in response to his friend's question.

Leonardo didn't recognize her either. Her pink dress was a little fancier than what most of the other guests wore, her brown hair left loose and coiled in soft waves. She looked sad, her face downcast as she absently fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist. She seemed familiar, but...he couldn't quite place her.

Elizabeth was giving the three of them a dry look and shaking her head. "That's Irma."

They all did a double-take. "Really?" said Michelangelo. "She looks so, well... _cute_."

Leonardo was surprised for a different reason. "I wouldn't think she'd be interested in weddings right now," he noted sadly.

"I thought the same thing, but when I talked to her the other day she insisted on coming since she missed the last one. I think she's pretty miserable without a date, though."

Both Mondo and Michelangelo nodded mutely—right before Mondo shoved his best friend out of the way. "I saw her first!"

"Hey—I've known her longer!"

Leonardo watched, bemused, as the two scrambled to reach her first. "Not quite what I was expecting to happen today."

Elizabeth merely shook her head with a wry smile. A moment later it was time for the ceremony to begin, forcing the orange-clad turtle to come trotting back. Bridesmaids and groomsmen separated, each heading to stand at opposite sides of the aisle. Monalisa's mother was providing the music today via piano; as the first song began they each paired off and drifted down the aisle, separating again after they passed under the arch and taking position at opposite ends of the small altar. As best man and matron of honor, he and Elizabeth went last.

Henry came next, carrying his ring bearer pillow with pride. Following him was flower girl Rebecca, who happily left a trail of pretty rose petals in her wake. And finally came the bride, escorted proudly by her father.

When they reached the altar and the father pressed his daughter's hand into the groom's, it looked like Raphael's nerves had disappeared. There was nothing left in his eyes but love as he gazed at his radiant bride. Monalisa's own eyes were shining as she gazed back at him through her filmy veil.

The ceremony that followed was traditional and fairly short, so it wasn't long before the two were reciting their vows. A wedding ring of white gold joined Monalisa's engagement ring, and a band of matching white gold went around Raphael's wrist, similar to Leonardo own wedding band. And then, breath held, the groom swept his luminous bride's veil back and kissed her as his wife for the first time.

Afterward, once the cheering had quieted down and the teary eyes were dry again, both wedding party and guests moved down from the terrace and onto the nearby patio. Long tables draped in white cloth were covered in food, and tables for sitting and dining at were off to the side, leaving plenty of room for dancing.

Monalisa's mother was finished playing piano for the day and was now hovering near her lovely daughter, and as the guests began filling their plates and glasses, soft music began to play through speakers set around the patio, barely noticeable above the sound of the waves. The guest list was small and the reception felt cozy and intimate, and everyone got in on the fun and toasted the newlyweds or made a quick speech.

Later, the music started getting a little livelier, and since her husband had excused himself to change the twins, Elizabeth asked with a smile if Leonardo would like to be her dancing partner. "We should do this more often," she remarked as they swept across the dance floor.

"Dance?"

"Have a wedding. It's so beautiful out here."

He had to agree. It was a clear and sunny day, not too warm and with a refreshing breeze blowing across the water. You couldn't ask for more perfect weather for a beach side wedding in summertime. "Don't know if we'll have any more coming up any time soon," he mused.

"Oh, no?"

Eyes dancing like she knew something he didn't, Elizabeth nodded casually to a spot behind him. Curious, Leonardo looked over his shoulder...and saw Irma happily dancing with Mondo Gecko. The two were laughing and looked like they were having a great time. "And then," Elizabeth went on, "there are those two, of course."

He knew who she meant this time, and he looked across the patio at the table where Splinter was sitting alone with Dr. Morris. The love they had for each other was clear in the quiet look in their eyes, the gentle way they spoke, the softness when they touched. Leonardo had a strong feeling that if Splinter didn't propose soon, the pretty biochemist was going to do it for him.

"I don't mind," he decided. "I like how our family has gotten bigger."

"Do friends count as part of the family, too?" Elizabeth wondered.

Leonardo smiled warmly. "Of course. You're always welcome, you know. If you ever change your mind about coming down."

She appeared to be thinking it over when Michelangelo wandered up, looking a little bored. "Sure are a lot of couples," he remarked, as the two of them paused their dancing.

"Feeling a little lonely?" Leonardo wondered.

Smiling suddenly, the orange-clad turtle shook his head. "Nope. I like things the way they are. I'm just going to stay cool and enjoy the next few years. Watch my baby sister grow up."

As he spoke, he turned and gazed where Rebecca was seated on the patio between two tables, playing a game of jacks with little Henry. They looked like they were having a blast; grinning, Michelangelo hurried over to join them. Elizabeth watched them with a quiet laugh, then excused herself and went to rejoin her husband.

Leonardo wasn't without a partner for long; he felt someone slip up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. "May I?"

His smile loving, the young ninja turned around and drew his wife into his arms. The next song that started up was slower, and he gladly pulled her close; she placed her head on his shoulder in response. As the two of them moved to the music, his eyes drifted over the patio, taking in all the members of his now larger family, their wonderful friends.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lotus said lazily.

"Just thinking about all the changes we've been through," he remarked. "It's been quite a year."

And just like the last year or so, he knew the years to come would be full of even more changes, some good, some wonderful, and some they'd rather forget. But no matter what kind of challenges lay ahead, he knew they would always be able to face them, as long as they faced them together.

~ _Fin_ ~


End file.
